Days earlier, a US manufacturer delivered an advanced version of the F-16 fighter jet to officials in Taipei

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) has launched a military exercise near the self-governed island of Taiwan, aimed at deterring "separatism," the Defense Ministry announced on Tuesday.

The drill includes the army, navy, air, and rocket forces, according to Colonel Shi Yi, the spokesman for the PLA's Eastern Theater Command. The exercise focuses on joint sea-air combat readiness patrols, coordinated efforts to achieve comprehensive dominance, assaults on maritime and ground targets, and blockades of critical areas and sea lanes, the statement added.

Taiwanese officials cited by Reuters said the PLA had sent ten military ships toward the island, to which its military responded with their own naval deployment.

The American Institute in Taiwan, which functions similarly to an embassy, has described the exercise as proof that China is "not a responsible actor and has no problem putting the region's security and prosperity at risk," as quoted by the news agency.

Beijing framed the maneuvers as a warning to "separatist forces" pursuing Taiwanese independence. Although the island is part of China, it operates under a government that has its roots in the nationalist forces which were defeated by the Communists in the Chinese Civil War in the 1940s. A cartoon video released by the PLA depicts Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te as a bug, branding her a "parasite courting [the] ultimate destruction" of the island.

Taipei maintains a close relationship with the US, which officially acknowledges China's claim yet provides military support to Taiwan despite Beijing's protests. Last week, senior Taiwanese officials took part in a ceremony at a Lockheed Martin factory in Greenville, South Carolina, marking the delivery of the first of 66 advanced F-16 Block 70 Viper fighter jets ordered by Taipei.

US Congressman William Timmons shared images of the event - which he attended alongside Taiwan's deputy defense minister and its envoy to the US - on X. "We are immensely proud to be the global home of the F-16 and to bolster Taiwan's air defense capabilities," the South Carolina lawmaker wrote.

Beijing views US arms supplies to Taiwan as provocative and a catalyst for separatism. While Chinese policy stresses the pursuit of peaceful reunification, it has not ruled out the use of force should Taipei declare itself a sovereign nation.

(RT.com)