The People's Liberation Army will decide whether or not to carry out exercises near Taiwan in accordance with related needs and situations, according to a military spokesman.

Senior Colonel Wu Qian, a spokesman for the Defense Ministry, said on Friday in Beijing that it is the PLA's lofty mission to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, take care of the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation, and defend the shared interests of compatriots on both sides of the Strait.

"As water has no constant form, there are in warfare no constant conditions. The PLA will decide whether and when to conduct military exercises in accordance with our needs and the situation across the Strait.

Whether there is a military exercise or not, the PLA will never be absent in fighting against 'Taiwan independence' attempts and promoting national reunification. Any attempt to split the nation through soliciting external support or resorting to military means will be punished, and will be doomed to fail," the spokesman said in response to a question on whether the PLA will conduct a military exercise following Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te's recent "stopover" in the United States.