PLA launches 'Strait Thunder-2025A' drills

Following the organization of its army, navy, air, and rocket forces to conduct joint exercises around Taiwan island on Tuesday, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) organized the "Strait Thunder-2025A" exercises in the central and southern areas of the Taiwan Straits on Wednesday. 

An expert told the Global Times that this move demonstrates the PLA's tighter siege on "Taiwan independence" secessionist forces through more stringent measures with thunderous actions.

On Wednesday, the PLA Eastern Theater Command conducted military exercises code-named "Strait Thunder-2025A" in the middle and southern areas of the Taiwan Straits, according to Senior Colonel Shi Yi, spokesperson of the Eastern Theater Command.

The exercises focus on subjects of identification and verification, warning and expulsion, and interception and detention so as to test the troops' capabilities of area regulation and control, joint blockade and control, and precision strikes on key targets, Shi said.

Zhang Chi, a professor at the National Defense University, told Global Times that Wednesday's PLA exercises in the Taiwan Straits are codenamed "Strait Thunder-2025A," which shows that the PLA has rich options and various measures in deterring "Taiwan independence" secessionist forces.

For the Lai Ching-te authorities and "Taiwan independence" secessionist forces, the PLA is always on a high level of combat readiness, like a sharp sword or a heavy hammer over their heads, Zhang said. 

"We are tightening the siege and chains on the 'Taiwan independence' secessionist forces through stricter measures with thunderous actions. It means that the more 'Taiwan independence' secessionist forces provoke, the stronger the punishment will be put on them," Zhang said.