China begins drills around Taiwan a day after its leader returns from US
China says it has started three days of combat readiness patrol exercises around Taiwan, just a day after Taiwan President Tsai returned home from the U.S. TAIPEI, Taiwan -- China says it has started three days of combat readiness patrol exercises around Taiwan starting on April 8, just a day after Taiwan President Tsai returned home following her meeting with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Chinese state media released a video which mentions some of the assets used in the exercises, including PLA army’s rockets -- likely the new PHL-16 truck-mounted self-propelled multiple rocket launcher -- the Navy's destroyer escort, a missile boat, the Air Force's J-series, fighter bombers, electronic warfare aircraft and aerial tankers. China says this has all been “quickly amassed and moved to the designated drill zones in preparation for combat deployment. The drills aim to examine, under the support of joint combat forces, the military's capabilities of gaining air & sea s...