China holds ‘law enforcement’ drill east of Taiwan

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - The Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) Friday held a “law enforcement” exercise east of Taiwan as part of Beijing’s large-scale military drills around the island nation, state media reported.

CCG vessel 2304 led a flotilla of vessels to conduct a “comprehensive law enforcement exercise in the waters east of Taiwan island,” said the Coast Guard.

“The exercise focused on subjects such as verification and identification, warning and expulsion, and testing the capabilities of joint patrols and emergency response,” said a spokesman of the CCG.

China Thursday launched large-scale joint military exercises around Taiwan, triggering calls for “restraint” from Taipei.

Newly inaugurated Taiwanese President William Lai Cheng-te also visited troops in a northern military base, vowing to defend the island nation, home to around 24 million people.

Beijing, however, warned that anyone seeking independence in Taiwan will see themselves “crushed.”

Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said it detected 49 Chinese military planes and 19 Chinese vessels until 6 a.m. Friday (2200GMT, Thursday).

“35 of the (Chinese) aircraft crossed the median line of Taiwan Strait and entered” Taiwan's southwestern air defense identification zone (ADIZ), the ministry added.

China neither recognizes median line nor ADIZ.