TAIPEI: China’s military ended a day of war games near Taiwan on Monday, saying it was a warning to the “separatist acts of Taiwan independence forces” and drawing condemnation from the Taipei and US governments. Democratically-governed Taiwan had been bracing for more war games since last week’s national day speech by President Lai Ching-te, but some analysts said Monday’s actions seemed calibrated to avoiding inflaming the US presidential election race.

Lai’s address was condemned by Beijing after he said China had no right to represent Taiwan even as he offered to cooperate with Beijing, which views Taiwan as China’s own territory. The Chinese military’s Eastern Theatre Command said the “Joint Sword-2024B” drills took place in the Taiwan Strait and areas to the north, south and east of Taiwan.

“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 state sovereignty and national unity,” it said in a statement carried both in Chinese and English. The command announced the end of the drills on Monday evening, and no further large-scale drills have yet been announced.

Earlier it issued a map highlighting nine areas around Taiwan where the drills took place - two on the island’s east coast, three on the west coast, one to the north and three around Taiwan-controlled islands next to the Chinese coast. Chinese warship formations, destroyers and aircraft were approaching Taiwan in “close proximity from different directions”, focusing on sea-air combat-readiness patrols, blockading key ports and areas, assaulting maritime and ground targets, the command added. China’s Liaoning aircraft carrier and supporting ships were also involved east of Taiwan, the military also announced - a deployment monitored by Taiwan’s military.

However, it did not announce any live-fire exercises or any no fly areas and a Taiwan security source said there were no signs of any missile launch. Chinese state media said the rocket force carried out simulated missile launches while fighter jets “opened up air assault corridors” and bombers carried out long range missions. The Taiwanese Defense Ministry said on Monday night that the drills involved 17 Chinese warships and 125 Chinese military aircraft - the most it had detected operating around Taiwan in a given day.

Monday’s drills appeared less intense than action in 2022 when China fired missiles over the island shortly after then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan. China held the “Joint Sword-2024A” drills for two days around Taiwan in May shortly after Lai took office, saying they were “punishment” for separatist content in his inauguration speech. A senior Taiwan security official, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the situation, said they believed China was practicing blockading Taiwanese ports and international shipping lanes as well as repelling the arrival of foreign forces. — Reuters