China surrounds Taiwan in surprise punishment military drills

China launched surprise punishment drills encircling Taiwan, just days after the inauguration of a new Taiwanese president Beijing has denounced as a separatist. The twoday exercise began abruptly at 7. 45am on Thursday and involved aircraft and ships surrounding the island to test their combat capabilities, Chinas Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) said. Experts said the drills simulated a fullscale attack on Taiwan for the first time, rather than just a blockade. Read more here: , china, taiwan, drills Subscribe to The Telegraph with our special offer. Start your free trial now: Get the latest headlines: and are websites of The Tele