Taiwan besieged: Not 5 or 7, but 6 live-fire military drills by China. Why?

Beijing: China on Monday carried out fresh military drills around Taiwan, defying calls for it to end its largest-ever exercises encircling the democratic island in the wake of a visit by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), which began military exercises around Taiwan on Thursday, is carrying out six such drills, according to CGTN.

Explaining to significance of the military drills, Meng Xiangqing, professor at the National Defense University of the People's Liberation Army, told the local media network, "The military drills are different from those in recent years as they cover a greater area, come closer to the island, involve more military elements and are expected to be highly effective".

Zhang Junshe, a senior research fellow at the Naval Research Academy of the PLA, further explained the importance of the six areas around the island which have been selected for the drills.

"The exercise area located southeast of Pingtan Island is the narrowest point on either side of the Taiwan Straits, breaking the "median line" that China has never recognized," CGTN reported.

It further noted that two exercise areas to the north of Taiwan island can directly block the Keelung Port.

Moreover, the exercise area to the east of Taiwan can directly target the military bases in Hualien and Taitung, forming the "frontal strike posture".

Similarly, the entrance and exit to the Bashi Channel can be controlled through the exercise area to the southeast of Kenting.

The military bases in Kaohsiung can be controlled by exercise area to the southwest of Taiwan, which is close to Kaohsiung and Zuoying. It can enable the six exercise areas to blockade Taiwan island, the local media report stated.

China would take all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity, said Hua Chunying, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday.

According to AFP, China has raged at the trip by Pelosi -- the highest-ranking elected US official to visit Taiwan in decades -- ripping up a series of talks and cooperation agreements with Washington, most notably on climate change and defence. It has also deployed fighter jets, warships and ballistic missiles in what analysts have described as practice for a blockade and ultimate invasion of the self-ruled island which China claims as its territory.

While the drills were expected to draw to a close on Sunday, neither Beijing nor Taipei confirmed their conclusion, though Taiwan's transport ministry said it had seen some evidence suggesting at least a partial drawdown.

(With inputs from agencies)

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