BEIJING, July 8. /TASS/. Taiwan’s Han Kuang drills will do nothing to deter China's People's Liberation Army and cannot stop the inevitable reunification of the two intertwined territories, stated Chinese Defense Ministry Spokesperson Jiang Bin, commenting on the island's military exercises.

"The Han Kuang drills are nothing but a bluff and self-deception," he said. "No matter what maneuvers they conduct or what weapons they use, they cannot stop the People’s Liberation Army’s sharp sword leveled against the Taiwanese independence movement, nor can they halt the historical momentum toward the inevitable reunification of our homeland."

The annual Han Kuang exercises will take place in Taiwan from July 9 to 18. According to the Taipei Times, the drills will simulate blockade and invasion scenarios, including precision strikes from sea and air, as well as amphibious landing operations.

Taiwan has been governed by its local administration since 1949 when the remaining Kuomintang forces led by Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975) fled to the island after being defeated in China’s civil war. Since then, Taiwan has preserved the flag and some other symbols of the Republic of China that had existed in mainland China before the Communists came to power. Beijing regards the island as one of its provinces and this position is supported by most countries, including Russia.