The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command on Wednesday deployed the Shandong aircraft carrier task group, in coordination with naval and air units, in military drills in areas to the east of Taiwan Island. 

The exercises included naval-air coordination, seizure of area air superiority, and strikes on ground and marine targets so as to evaluate the troops' ability to integrate operations inside and outside the island chain, multi-dimensional blockade and control, and joint operations of multiple services.