Theme Poster "Overwhelming Grip" Released by PLA Eastern Theater Command Hyped as the longest-ever, the island of Taiwan's annual Han Kuang drills kicked off on Wednesday, local media reported. While seemingly aimed at improving defense for the Taiwan authorities,

Col. Jiang Bin, spokesperson for China’s Defense Ministry, said Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party is exploiting the exercise to get Taiwan residents on board its "Taiwan Independence" war chariot, the Chinese state-supported Global Times reported.

Jiang said that the Han Kuang exercise is nothing but a bluffing and self-deceiving trick played by the island's Democratic Progressive Party authorities to hijack Taiwan compatriots on board its "Taiwan Independence" war chariot. "The DPP authorities are harming Taiwan out of selfish interests," he noted.