Chinese military ends biggest, closest drills around Taiwan

The Chinese military has ended its two-day joint drills surrounding Taiwan, stated to be the biggest and closest exercises held around the prosperous self-ruled island that China claims to be part of its mainland. The drills on Thursday and Friday were held in retaliation to Taiwan’s new President Lai Ching-te’s remarks rejecting Beijing’s sovereignty claims over the island and tested the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) ability to seize power. China views Taiwan as a rebel province that must be reunified with the mainland even by force. While there was no official announcement that the drills ended, the Chinese social…