The Eastern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army has started inter-service combat exercises around Taiwan Island on Tuesday, according to its spokesman.

Senior Colonel Shi Yi said in a statement that the command has deployed its ground, naval, air, rocket and other forces  from multiple directions as part of the operation. The drills mainly focus on sea-air combat-readiness patrols, battlefield dominance, strikes on sea and ground targets, blockade on key areas and sea routes and other tactics so as to assess the forces' joint operational capabilities, the spokesman noted. 

This move is a "stern warning and powerful deterrence" against "Taiwan independence" separatist forces and is also a legitimate and necessary action to safeguard China's sovereignty and national unity, according to him.

The command also published a poster titled "Closing In", featuring warships and fighter jets encircling Taiwan Island, with the message, "Sinister moves of Taiwan separatists. Courting disaster upon themselves."