The Taiwanese military conducted new live-fire drills today after Beijing completed its largest-ever military exercise around the island, which China considers an integral part of its territory. Lu Wei-chi, spokesman for the Eighth Corps, revealed to AFP that Taiwanese forces fired artillery shells and illumination bombs as part of the defensive exercises.
These maneuvers took place in Pingtung County (south) starting at 08:30 AM (00:30 GMT) and lasted for an hour. A live broadcast showed artillery units lined up on the coast with soldiers distributed in units firing shells towards the sea. Taiwan had already conducted military drills on Tuesday in Pingtung, and the military stated that hundreds of personnel participated in both rounds of exercises. Authorities downplayed the significance of these drills, asserting that they were pre-planned and not a response to China's maneuvers.
China reacted angrily following U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan last week. In response to the visit, it held days of aerial and naval exercises around the island.
Taipei accused China of using Pelosi's visit as a pretext to rehearse an invasion.
