The Editor-in-Chief of Global Times Hu Xijin said on his Weibo account on September 21 that the 'whole mainland society has lost patience with the Taipei authorities' and they generally believe that “Taiwan independence” forces 'need to be taught a fundamental lesson'. He said 'if the other side dared to shoot the PLA fighters first, the PLA can attack Taiwan'. The military forces can carry out devastating strikes and pushed the settlement of the Taiwan issue to a new stage. Hu Xijin mentioned that the recent exercise shows the PLA has the ability to mobilize and organize military operations against Taiwan in a very short period of time. He added 'It is described as an exercise, but it is more like actual combat'. Hu Xijin also warned 'the Tsai Ing-wen authorities to rein in the precipice, otherwise they will fall into the abyss and be crushed'.

(Comment: Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense stated that on September 18 and 19, over a dozen PLAAF aircraft flew over the center line of the strait and entered the airspace of southwestern Taiwan.)