China launches surprise military drills around Taiwan

News Snapshot:

China has launched large-scale military drills around Taiwan, accusing its leaders of being “separatists” and “parasites” who were pushing the democratically run island into war. The drills, accompanied by a propaganda campaign, were launched without warning on Tuesday morning. China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) said they were a “stern warning” to Taiwan’s democratically elected government over what Beijing claims is separatist activity. Forces from the PLA Navy, Army and Rocket Force were approaching Taiwan from “multiple directions”, said China’s Eastern Theatre Command, which manages military operations in the region, on its official WeChat social media account. It said the drills...