This is how China’s military is expanding its influence

Bangkok Since the weekend, Chinese fighter jets and fighter-bombers have been flying an eleven-day maneuver together with Thailand’s armed forces. According to the government in Beijing, China and the oldest US ally in Asia want to train, among other things, “attacks on ground targets and small and large troop deployments”. The starting point for the exercise is a military base in the Thai province of Udon Thani – a US Air Force base during the Vietnam War.

The military exercise, dubbed “Falcon Strike,” comes just days after China’s military show of force around Taiwan ended. Beijing was reacting to the visit by US top politician Nancy Pelosi to the island, which was perceived as a provocation.