PLA drills 'deterrence' against collusion: Defense Ministry

The People's Liberation Army's military drills conducted around Taiwan are a "stern deterrence" against US-Taiwan collusion, the Defense Ministry said on Thursday after three days of exercises kicked off at noon in response to United States House Speaker Pelosi's visit to the island.

"China is strongly opposed to Pelosi's visit to China's Taiwan region, which has broken the US commitment of not supporting 'Taiwan independence' and is a serious political provocation," said Tan Kefei, a spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense, adding the visit seriously damaged China-US relations and ties between the two militaries, hugely impacted and threatened peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits.

"The Chinese military keeps its word," he said, stressing large-scale military exercises around Taiwan are a "stern deterrence to collision between the US and Taiwan".

According to the spokesman and previous statements released by PLA's Eastern Theater Command, the command has organized inter-service and multidisciplinary drills in the seas and airspace around the island, which included joint air-to-ship strike, land strike and air control operations as well as the live firing of precision-guided weapons.

Tan warned the US as well as Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party authorities "it's futile" to attempt to contain China by use of the Taiwan question and to seek foreign support for political manipulation.

"Provocative collusion by the US and Taiwan will only push Taiwan into the abyss of disaster and bring a profound scourge to Taiwan compatriots," he said, underscoring it's the firm will of the 1.4 billion Chinese people to resolutely safeguard China's national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

"China's complete reunification is an irresistible historical trend. The will of the people cannot be defied and those who play with fire will perish by it," the officer said, stressing the military will resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and will never leave any room for any form of "Taiwan independence" or external interference.