BEIJING: Taiwan confirmed that on Thursday afternoon, a day after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi left Taipei, mainland China fired a series of Dongfeng series of missiles into the island's northeast and southwest waters. According to a statement from the island's defense ministry, several DF series missiles started firing at 1.56 pm. This is the first time that missiles from the mainland have passed over the island.
"The Ministry of Defense condemns the senseless actions to undermine regional peace," the statement said.
The PLA Eastern Theater Command on the mainland said in two brief statements that it launched several conventional missiles on Thursday afternoon and targeted precision strikes on the eastern Taiwan Strait on Thursday.
All missiles successfully hit the target, putting their capabilities of precision strikes and denial of territory to the test. According to the statement, control of the relevant sea and airspace has been withdrawn, and the entire ammunition launch training mission has been successfully completed.
Several Dongfeng series ballistic missiles were launched from unidentified targets on the mainland and were seen in video footage from state-run China Central Television hitting targets in the waters of Keilung port, Hualian and Taitung counties.
On Thursday afternoon, PCL-191 rockets were launched from Taiwan from Pington, an offshore island in Fujian province. Eight 370 mm rockets with a maximum range of 350 km or two 750 mm Fire Dragon 480 tactical ballistic missiles with a maximum range of 500 km can be carried by the PCL-191.
Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Tan Kefei said the exercise was clearly aimed at collusion between Taiwan and the US.
Tan said in a statement that "the Chinese military will keep its promise." "The collusion between Taiwan and America will only throw Taiwan into a terrible catastrophe and cause great harm to Taiwanese compatriots,"
According to a report in Global Times, the ongoing exercise will include conventional missile tests and long-range rocket launches.
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