Flying Blind.

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1. China started a second day of large-scale military exercises near Taiwan earlier today, raising the ante with live-fire drills and brushing off condemnations from across Taipei's political spectrum as well as the U.S. and European Union. Shi Yi, a senior colonel and spokesperson for the Chinese People's Liberation Army Eastern Theater Command, said long-range live-fire practice was conducted in the East China Sea, according to state news outlet Xinhua. "The drills involve precision strikes on simulated targets of key ports and energy facilities, and have achieved desired effects," the report said. Beijing on Tuesday had announced a new round of drills that would "close in" on Taiwan, which it claims for itself. The PLA on Wednesday gave the exercises a code name, "Strait Thunder-2025A," and said it was operating in the middle and southern areas of the Taiwan Strait. (Source: asia.nikkei.com, italics mine)