The exercises were held on May 6-8 both at sea and in the airspace east and south-west of Taiwan, the Eastern Theater Command said in a Monday statement published on its WeChat account.

The purpose of the military drills was to increase the combat capability of various branches of the Chinese armed forces in joint operations, according to the release.

Taiwan became alienated from Beijing after becoming a stronghold of the Chinese Nationalist Party (the Kuomintang) following its defeat to the Communist Party in a civil war in 1949.

The Chinese mainland and the island resumed business and informal contacts in the late 1980s.

Today Beijing opposes any official contacts of foreign countries with Taiwan and considers Chinese sovereignty upon it indisputable under the so-called One-China principle.

(With UNI/Sputnik inputs)