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Taiwan holds live-fire drill after days of PLA war games
- The island’s military will deploy hundreds of troops and 40 howitzers in exercise to simulate defence against attack
- Taiwanese army spokesman says the drills are not in response to Beijing’s largest-ever war games, launched last week following US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit
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Taiwan’s military held a live-fire artillery drill on Tuesday simulating a defence of the island against an attack after days of massive PLA war games, an Agence France-Presse journalist at the site of the exercise said.
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Lou Woei-jye, spokesman for Taiwan’s Eighth Army Corps, confirmed the drills started in the southern county of Pingtung soon after 8.40am with the firing of target flares and artillery, ending within an hour at 9.30am.
As the last round of cannon was fired, Taiwanese soldiers were heard shouting “mission accomplished”.
The People’s Liberation Army launched its largest-ever war games around Taiwan last week in a furious response to a visit by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the highest-ranking American official to visit the self-ruled island in decades.
Taiwan lives under the constant threat of attack by mainland China, which views its neighbour as part of its territory to be taken back one day, by force if necessary.
Taipei’s drills, taking place on Tuesday and Thursday, will include the deployment of hundreds of troops and about 40 howitzers, the army said.
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Lou said on Monday the drills had already been scheduled and were not in response to Beijing’s exercises.
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