The drills underscore China’s persistent efforts to pressure new Taiwan President Lai Ching-te. They were named “Joint Sword-2024B,” following on from the “2024A” exercises held right after his inauguration in May.

China has also deployed its Liaoning aircraft carrier as part of its Joint Sword-2024B blockade drills around Taiwan, initiated during the early hours of Monday

Taiwan was a Japanese colony before being unified with China at the end of World War II. It split away in 1949 when Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalists fled to the island as Mao Zedo

China’s armed forces held more drills around Taiwan that it said were intended as a warning to the democratically run government to halt “separatist acts.”

The Chinese military said the exercises, which will simulate strikes on land and at sea, would serve as “a stern warning” to “Taiwan independence forces.”

China conducted large-scale military drills surrounding Taiwan on Monday, in response to Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te's national day speech that China has no right to represent Taiwan.

Taiwan has condemned the latest round of Chinese military drills around the island as an “unreasonable provocation” after Beijing deployed warships and fighter jets as a “stern warning” to “separatist acts of Taiwan independence forces.

The Chinese military on Monday conducted a large-scale military exercise around Taiwan, prompting stern condemnation from the United States.