China says military drills near Taiwan a ‘just’ move

 Chinese and Taiwanese national flags are displayed alongside a military airplane in this illustration taken April 9, 2021. REUTERS FILE PHOTO

BEIJING — Chinese military exercises near Taiwan are aimed at forces promoting the island’s formal independence and interference by external forces and are a “just” move to protect peace and stability, China’s Taiwan Affairs Office said on Wednesday.

“The Democratic Progressive Party authorities’ hyping of the so-called ‘military threat’ of the mainland is to completely invert right and wrong, and a bogus accusation,” it said, referring to Taiwan’s ruling party.

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