China is holding live-fire drills in the Taiwan Strait in an escalation of military activity just a week after Beijing held a record-setting air-and-sea drills around the island.
China's Maritime Safety Administration warned boats to avoid venturing into the area around Niushan island in Fujian province for four hours starting from 9am (local time) on Tuesday. Niushan island is the closest point between mainland China and Taiwan and sits south of the Taiwan-controlled Matsu islands.
Taiwan downplayed the drills, saying Beijing's exercises were part of routine Chinese training and that it was keeping a close watch. "It cannot be ruled out that it is one of the ways to expand the deterrent effect in line with the dynamics in the Taiwan Strait," the self-governed island's defence ministry said in a statement.
“No matter the scale of the exercises, there should not be such meaningless shows frequently or near to Taiwan," Taiwan’s premier Cho Jung-tai told reporters in Taipei.
“This will only cause sudden and unnecessary tension," he said, adding that the Taiwanese military was prepared and that nothing "unexpected will happen".
Tuesday's drills were launched just a week after China flew a record number of military aircraft toward Taiwan during what was described as practicing the "sealing off of key ports and key areas". The military exercise was a punishment for Taiwan's president Lai Ching-te rejecting Beijing's claims of sovereignty, according to reports.
Taiwan counted a record one-day total of 153 aircraft, 14 navy vessels, and 12 Chinese government ships.
China regards self-governed Taiwan as part of its territory and routinely conducts exercises around the island. While a full-scale invasion of Taiwan is unlikely, China has not ruled out the use of force to bring the island under its control.
The US – the biggest unofficial ally of Taiwan – responded by continuing to host what it calls "freedom of navigation" transits through the Taiwan Strait.
On Sunday, the destroyer USS Higgins and the Canadian frigate HMCS Vancouver transited the narrow band of ocean that separates China and Taiwan. China condemned the maneuver, saying it undermined peace and stability in the region.
Germany sent two warships through the Taiwan Strait last month as it sought to increase its defense engagement in the Asia-Pacific region.
China views the Taiwan president who took office in May as a "separatist" and has rebuffed his calls for talks. Mr Lai rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims, saying only Taiwan's people can decide their future.
Last week Chinese president Xi Jinping made a rare visit to the Fujian province facing Taiwan after the Chinese army launched record aircraft toward the island.
