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In response to Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te's separatist speech on October 10, the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) conducted its Joint Sword-2024B drill in the Taiwan Strait and the north, south and east of the island of Taiwan on Monday.

Involving vessels and planes closing in on the island from multiple directions and assaults by joint forces, the military move demonstrates the Chinese government's determination to safeguard its territorial integrity and the PLA's capability to fight in real combat conditions.

Legitimate and necessary

Upon the PLA dispatch to the Taiwan region, the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in collusion with Western forces labelled the Chinese mainland of "undermining regional peace and stability."

But before condemning Monday's military move, the DPP should be clear about one simple fact – Taiwan being part of China means the Chinese government is entitled to take any necessary measures including military activities to safeguard the country's territorial integrity.

The PLA's military move in the Taiwan region is precisely targeted at "independence." Since assuming office, Lai has been seizing every opportunity possible to tout for "Taiwan independence." His speech last week – under the guise of peace and development – was trumpeting the "two states" theory from the beginning to the end. In this context, the mainland's military exercises on Monday serve as a strong punishment and deterrent to the separatist activities and a stern warning against interference by external forces.

The intensity and frequency of the mainland's military activities depend entirely on the extent of the DPP's provocations. The codename of the exercise – Joint Sword-2024B, which follows Joint Sword-2024A in May, indicates that more and larger-scale military drills will follow in case of DPP provocations.

It is also worth noting that the Chinese mainland offered no end date for the military exercises. As long as pro-independence provocations continue, the PLA's move to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity will not stop.

Military hardware prepared

According to the PLA's Eastern Theater Command, Monday's drills focused on a joint sea-air combat readiness patrol, the blockade and control of key ports and areas, strikes on sea and land targets, and the seizure of comprehensive battlefield control, so as to test the joint real-combat capabilities of the forces of the command.

Fu Zhengnan, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Military Sciences, believes that the Joint Sword-2024B displayed all-weather combat capability. Featuring real combat scenarios, the drills could "switch from training to combat at any time," Fu said, adding the operation acts like a sword and a hammer above the Lai administration against its pro-independence moves.

Conducted in the north, south and east of the island of Taiwan, Monday's military move demonstrated the PLA's capability of simulating a blockade of Taiwan Island. The operations could deter political and military targets in Taipei in the northern part of Taiwan; strike the "camp" of pro-independence forces in the south of the island; and to the east of Taiwan, to block pro-independence forces from seeking exterior "support" and fleeing abroad.

In addition, Taiwan, as a result of its geographically isolated location, relies heavily on imports for survival and growth. The PLA's blockade capability means Taiwan would become a “dead” island with its economic collapse an inevitable outcome in case of real armed conflicts.

In collaboration with the PLA, the coast guard of east China's Fujian Province also conducted law enforcement patrols in waters near Matsu and Dongyin islands on Monday – aimed to test rapid response and emergency handling capabilities. The Chinese mainland's military move indicates that its military hardware is already in place against Lai-led separatist forces.

Reunification is the only future for Taiwan. The more the DPP provokes, the earlier its doomsday will arrive.

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