BEIJING, June 27. /TASS/. Taiwan's annual Han Kuang exercise, scheduled for July 22-26, is nothing but a "show," the Chinese Defense Ministry said.
"The Taiwan administration, represented by the Democratic Progressive Party, presents a program called 'Han Kuang' every year, but no matter how they spin the repertoire, it's all just a show, and the ending, in which the independence supporters are doomed to defeat, cannot be changed," the ministry said.
The Han Kuang maneuvers are Taiwan's largest military exercises and have been held annually since 1984. All branches of the armed forces participate in it. The practical part of this year's live-fire exercise will be held on July 22-26.
Taiwan has been governed by its own administration since 1949, when the remnants of the Kuomintang forces led by Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975) fled there after their defeat in the Chinese Civil War. Since then, Taiwan has retained the flag and some other attributes of the former Republic of China that existed on the mainland before the Communists took power. Official Beijing considers Taiwan a province of the People’s Republic of China. The United States broke off diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 1979 and established relations with China. While recognizing the one-China policy, Washington continues to maintain contacts with the Taipei government. The US is Taiwan's main arms supplier.