BEIJING, April 2 -- "The Chinese PLA Eastern Theater Command (ETC) organized the Shandong Aircraft Carrier Task Group to conduct training exercise with some naval and air forces in the eastern sea area and airspace of Taiwan Island on April 2," said Army Senior Colonel Shi Yi, spokesperson for the Chinese PLA ETC, in a written statement on Wednesday.
According to the spokesperson, the exercise focused on subjects including vessel-aircraft coordination, seizure of regional air superiority, and strike on ground and maritime targets, in a bid to test the troops' capabilities in conducting integrated operations inside and outside the island chain, multi-dimensional blockade and control, and joint operations involving multiple services and arms.