BEIJING, October 14. /TASS/. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) launched ‘Joint Sword-2024B’ military drills near Taiwan on Monday, the country’s Defense Ministry said in a statement.

"On October 14, the PLA Eastern Theater Command dispatched its troops of army, navy, air force and rocket force to conduct joint military drills code-named ‘Joint Sword-2024B’ in the Taiwan Strait and areas to the north, south and east of Taiwan Island," the statement said citing Senior Captain Li Xi, spokesperson of the Chinese PLA Eastern Theater Command.

"With vessels and aircraft approaching Taiwan Island in close proximity from different directions, troops of multiple services engage in joint drills, focusing on subjects of sea-air combat-readiness patrol, blockade on key ports and areas, assault on maritime and ground targets, as well as joint seizure of comprehensive superiority, so as to test the joint operations capabilities of the theater command's troops," the statement continued.

According to Li Xi, "The drill also serves as a stern warning to the separatist acts of ‘Taiwan Independence’ forces. It is a legitimate and necessary operation for safeguarding national sovereignty and national unity."

Lai Qingde, the Taiwan administration's head, stated on October 10 that Taipei's efforts to maintain the status quo in the Taiwan Strait are unchanged. The island will defend its "state sovereignty," he said.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning responded that "Taiwan has never been a country and will never become one, it has no kind of sovereignty at all."

On May 20, Taiwan held an inauguration ceremony for the island's new leader, Lai Ching-te. Three days later the PLA Eastern Theater Command announced the start of the Joint Sword 2024A exercise around Taiwan, as well as near the islands of Kinmen, Matsu, Wuqiu and Dongyin. The exercise involved land, missile, naval and air forces.

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, the island has retained the flag and some other attributes of the former Republic of China that existed on the mainland before the Communists came to power. Official Beijing considers Taiwan a province of the People’s Republic of China.