NANJING，Sep. 18 -- Recently, the naval and air forces assigned to the Eastern Theater Command (ETC) of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) conductedthe combat-ready patrols and joint air-sea exercises in the Taiwan Straits to test the joint operations capability of multiservices and arms, said Air Force Senior Colonel Zhang Chunhui, spokesperson for the PLA Eastern Theater Command, in a written statement on Friday morning.

Zhang said that the relevant moves are necessary measures to deal with the current situation across the Taiwan Straits and will help enhance the capability of troops under the PLA Eastern Theater Command to safeguard the national unity, territorial sovereignty and security.

The PLA ETC troops will resolutely perform their duties and missions, and have the confidence and determination to thwart any attempt by any person or force to carry out "Taiwan independence" separatist activities in any form, Zhang stressed in the statement.