SHANGHAI, August 3. /TASS/. The areas of the Chinese armed forces’ exercises involving the blockade of major ports and air routes show that this may be a demonstration of part of a scenario of uniting the two sides of the Taiwan Strait by military means, a retired Lieutenant-General of the Taiwanese army, Herman Shuai, told The Global Times on Wednesday.
"From the designated PLA military drills area, the operations could pose a threat to major ports and shipping lanes in Taiwan, forming a complete blockage. This blockage style could be one of the action plans taken in the future for achieving the reunification by force," Shuai is quoted as saying.
"The exercise areas are a "template" for "locking down Taiwan," Shuai stressed. "If the PLA exercises take a long time, it will constitute a substantial blockage of Taiwan."
After US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi arrived in Taipei on Tuesday evening China announced a series of military exercises along its coastline, as well as in several areas around Taiwan. The Navy and the Air Force of the People's Liberation Army of China will conduct live firing in six areas around Taiwan from August 4 to 7. All this will require the adjustment of aircraft flights and the passage of ships, banned from entering the areas of the exercise.