ANKARA

China continued its combat exercises around Taiwan on Tuesday, although it announced that it “successfully" wrapped up the exercises the previous day.

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command warships continued combat exercises around Taiwan after completing the latest “island encirclement patrols and drills,” local English daily Global Times reported.

Patrols, air defense, and beyond visual range sea attack drills were carried out, it added without giving further details.

China launched mass military drills after US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy hosted Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen for a meeting in California last week, after Tsai’s 10-day trip to Central America.

The PLA Eastern Theater Command said Monday it “successfully wrapped up combat alert patrols and Joint Sword exercises.”

Beijing dubbed Taiwan's "secessionist activities and the ‘connivance and support from the US’ as the ‘biggest’ threat to cross-Straits peace,” a terminology to designate China-Taiwan relations.