China's military said on Wednesday that it had recently conducted a military exercise on Taiwan as a "serious warning" in the face of US-Taiwan coordination, state media reported.

Al-Jazeera correspondent in Beijing, Nasser Abdul-Haq, said that these maneuvers were announced this morning, Wednesday, by the spokesperson for the so-called Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army.

The same source was quoted as saying that the Chinese army forces recently conducted naval and air exercises near the island of Taiwan;

In response to what he described as the complicity of the United States and Taiwan in strengthening Taipei's independence drive.

The military official attacked the United States by saying that it says one thing and does another, in reference to Washington's positions and US President Joe Biden's recent statements.

Al-Jazeera correspondent also quoted the same spokesman as confirming that the soldiers of the Chinese People's Liberation Army are fully prepared to protect the national territory and defend China's interests, as he put it.

Previous military exercises conducted by the Chinese army (Reuters)

military response

Two days ago, Biden confirmed - during talks in Tokyo - that the US administration would respond militarily if China attacked Taiwan, in the first US threat to use force against Beijing.

Biden's comments - made on Monday - are his strongest yet on the Taiwan issue, and come amid growing tensions over China's growing economic and military influence.

Taiwan was quick to express its welcome to Biden's statements, and to renew what it called the firm US commitment to it, but Reuters news agency later quoted a White House official that there was no change in Washington's policy toward Taiwan, stressing - at the same time - Biden's keenness to provide Taiwan with the means. military to defend itself.

Meanwhile, China and Russia on Tuesday launched combat aircraft over waters near Japan, which the US State Department described as evidence of a "borderless" partnership between Beijing and Moscow.


strategic patrol

China's Defense Ministry confirmed today that it has conducted a "joint strategic air patrol" over the Sea of ​​Japan, the East China Sea and the Pacific Ocean in accordance with Moscow and Beijing's annual plan for military cooperation.

The ministry said the Sino-Russian strategic patrols are not targeting any third party.

The Russian Defense Ministry announced that Russian TMS 95 strategic missile launchers and Chinese strategic bombers flew for about 13 hours over the Sea of ​​Japan and the East China Sea as part of joint patrols.

The ministry clarified that the Russian and Chinese planes, during the pre-planned air patrols, did not violate the airspace of foreign countries.

The Russian Defense Ministry also indicated that Japanese and South Korean planes escorted the Russian and Chinese planes in some flight stages.


show business

Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said that the bombers were flying from morning to afternoon, and that this move appeared to be a "show act" during the "Quad" group meeting in Tokyo between the US President and the prime ministers of Japan, Australia and India.

Kishi said Beijing's joint action with Russia amid its "aggression" against Ukraine would "raise the level of provocation," according to Japan's Kyodo News Agency.

Against the backdrop of China's growing political ambitions in the region, the four leaders of the "Quad" issued a joint statement after their summit in Tokyo, in which they strongly oppose any "coercive, provocative or unilateral measures that seek to change the status quo and increase tensions in the region."

Commenting on these developments, US State Department spokesman Ned Price said that the recent military exercises conducted by China and Russia may have been planned in advance.

Price described China's conduct of these maneuvers with Russia at a time when the latter is invading Ukraine as a sign that Sino-Russian relations have no boundaries.