The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) continued intensive cross-sea exercises featuring sea, land and air forces amid the recent moves by Taiwan’s secessionists to collude with external forces.

An army aviation brigade affiliated with the PLA 74rd Group Army recently deployed Z-9 reconnaissance helicopters and Z-10 attack helicopters and held surface diurnal and nocturnal live-fire exercises off the coastline of South China’s Fujian Province. Helicopter crews practiced low-altitude defense penetration, independent attack route planning and precision strikes on maritime, insular and aerial targets, China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Saturday.

A number of PLA exercises have taken place over the past two weeks with some overseas media linking them to the regional situation in the Taiwan Straits.