BEIJING, Aug. 19 -- Army Senior Colonel Shi Yi, spokesperson for the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), said on Saturday that the PLA Eastern Theater Command organized naval and air forces to conduct joint combat-ready patrol and training exercise around Taiwan Island on August 19. Focusing on subjects of ship-aircraft coordination, control of battlefield, etc., the exercise tested the troops' combat capabilities in joint operations.
"This is a serious warning against the collusion and provocation of the 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces and the external forces," noted the spokesperson.