The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) has concluded its "Joint Sword-2024B" drills, said a spokesperson on Monday.
The command on Monday organized its troops of army, navy, air force and rocket force to conduct the drills in the Taiwan Strait and in areas to the north, south and east of Taiwan Island.
Li Xi, spokesperson for the command, said the integrated joint operation capabilities of the troops were fully tested during the drills.
Always on high alert, troops of the command will keep strengthening combat readiness with arduous training and resolutely foil "Taiwan independence" separatist attempts, Li added.
The "Joint Sword-2024B" drills focused on joint sea-air combat readiness patrols, blockade and control of key ports and areas, strikes on sea and land targets, and joint seizure of comprehensive superiority, so as to test the joint real combat capabilities of the PLA soldiers.
The drills involved vessels and planes closing in on the island from multiple directions and assaults by joint forces.
"In this exercise, the heart of the mission for me and my fellow soldiers was to break through the 'enemy's' air defense alert system and seize regional air superiority. It directly tested our airspace alert, air confrontation, and aerial refueling capabilities in a real combat scenario. We aimed to warn the separatists, in a language the 'enemy' understands, that seeking 'Taiwan independence' means war and such attempts will only backfire and bring their own destruction," said Wei Cao, a pilot from an air brigade of the Eastern Theater Command.
"As a killer punch of the army's long-range firepower, our rocket artillery unit is capable of fast response, high precision and fierce firepower in combat. We are fully capable of precise long-distance strikes, with increasingly formidable punches and more options at our disposal. If the 'Taiwan independence' forces are bent on playing with fire, they will undoubtedly be severely punished," said Li Xiaotian, a solider of a rocket artillery unit of the command.
PLA concludes "Joint Sword-2024B" drills
PLA concludes "Joint Sword-2024B" drills
From cutting-edge technology exhibitions to retail stores thousands of kilometers away from Europe and Southeast Asia, China-made robot vacuum cleaners are increasingly becoming a popular choice among consumers worldwide.
At electronics retailers in Berlin, Germany, Chinese brands such as Roborock and Dreame occupy prominent positions in dedicated robot vacuum sections, offering a wide range of products priced between 200 and 2,000 euros.
Many local consumers said that when purchasing smart home appliances including robot vacuum cleaners, they tend to give priority to Chinese-made products.
"It's a good price and good quality. It's also the innovation. I have a feeling that the European brands are not innovating enough," said one customer.
"I think they're always on top of the other technologies. They are getting them out faster. A lot of us are switching to the Chinese technology," another consumer said.
Germany is one of the most important overseas markets for China's floor-cleaning robots.
According to data from market research firm GfK, from January to November 2025, more than six out of 10 robot vacuum cleaners sold in Western Europe were Chinese brands.
Industry data also point to a strong global momentum.
According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), global shipments of smart robot vacuum cleaners reached 17.424 million units in the first three quarters of 2025, representing a year-on-year increase of 18.7 percent.
Chinese brands including Roborock, Ecovacs, Dreame, Xiaomi and Narwal ranked among the world's top five in terms of shipment volume, with a combined share of nearly 70 percent of the global market.
At a robot vacuum cleaner manufacturing plant in Huizhou, south China's Guangdong Province, workers were seen stepping up production of newly launched models that recently debuted at the Consumer Electronics Show in the United States, which concluded Friday in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The factory adjusted its production lines as early as December 2025 and stocked inventory in advance for overseas markets to ensure that new products could be delivered to global consumers at the earliest possible time.
"In 2025, Roborock's global shipments exceeded 7.2 million units. Since 2024, overseas revenue has accounted for more than 50 percent of our total revenue. Our products have now been sold to more than 170 countries and regions, serving more than 20 million households worldwide," said Quan Gang, president of Roborock.
At another robot vacuum cleaner manufacturing facility in Dongguan, Guangdong, rising overseas orders have prompted the company to upgrade its production lines with intelligent technologies to further boost capacity. The factory is currently operating at full load to meet a growing demand.
"For 2026, we have already obtained overseas orders worth at least 300 million to 400 million yuan (around 43 million to 57.3 million U.S. dollars). In addition, we've engaged in strategic cooperation with European home appliance group Cebos Group, and our total confirmed orders have exceeded 600 million yuan (around 86 million U.S. dollars)," said Zhang Junbin, founder and CEO of Narwal Robotics.
Chinese robot vacuum brands gain strong global traction
