The recent three-day drill called Joint Sword in which Chinese aircraft and naval vessels simulated a blockade of Taiwan was meant as a “serious warning’ in light of the recent meeting between Taiwan President President Tsai Ing-wen and U.S. Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) last week in California. Despite Beijing saying the exercise is over, Chinese aircraft and ships continue to linger in the Taiwan Strait. It is the second time in less than a year that China has conducted such an exercise with the first in August of last year after then House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) visited Taiwan. The tension comes as the U.S. and Philippines begin conducting the largest joint military exercise ever between the two countries involving more than 17,000 troops and including multiple live-fire exercises according to Fox News.
