The Eastern Theater of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) organized a combat readiness patrol and the "Joint Sword" exercise around Taiwan Island. Zhang Chi, associate professor at the National Security College of the National Defense University, said that the exercise was aimed at "Taiwan independence" separatists and aimed to send a strong signal of punishment.
The purpose of this military exercise is to form an absolute superiority and overwhelming situation over the battlefield in the Taiwan Strait, he said. The exercise is also a response to the United States and Taiwan colluding with them.