SHANGHAI, April 1. /TASS/. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) continues its large-scale military exercise north, south and east of the island of Taiwan, the PLA's Eastern Theater Command said in a statement.
"The Eastern Theater Command has organized Air Force and Navy units in coordination with conventional missile forces and long-range artillery units in the waters north, south and east of the island of Taiwan," the statement notes.
The Eastern Theater Command also released a poster showing the island surrounded on three sides with a caption reading: "The threat of a blockade: the more noise, the stronger the deterrence."
On April 1, the Eastern Theater Command announced the start of comprehensive drills around Taiwan, which involve ground troops, missile forces, the Navy and the Air Force. The PLA is said to be practicing combat patrols, strikes on maritime and ground targets, and blockades of the transport links and key areas of an alleged adversary.
Taiwan has been governed by its local administration since 1949 when the remaining Kuomintang forces, led by Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975), fled to the island after being defeated in China’s civil war. However, Beijing considers the island to be one of its provinces, a position shared by the majority of countries, including Russia.