China holds military drills around Taiwan in 'warning' against independence

China has launched large-scale military drills around Taiwan to warn against the island making a bid for independence.

The Chinese navy, army air force and missile corps have all been mobilised for the exercises, a spokesperson said.

It comes four days after Taiwan celebrated the founding of its government. The country's President Lai Ching-te declared his commitment to "resist annexation" and said China had no right to represent Taiwan.

In response to the drills, Taiwan's defence ministry said its forces were prepared to respond.

Joseph Wu, secretary-general of Taiwan's security council, said: “Our military will definitely deal with the threat from China appropriately.

“Threatening other countries with force violates the basic spirit of the United Nations Charter to resolve disputes through peaceful means."

Taiwan's Defense Ministry said it had deployed its warships to carry out surveillance and stand ready.

It also deployed its mobile missile and radar groups on land to track the vessels at sea. As of Monday morning, they had tracked 25 Chinese warplanes, seven warships and four Chinese government ships.

A map shown on China’s state broadcaster CCTV showed six large blocks encircling Taiwan indicating where the military drills are being held.

China deployed 125 military aircraft along with its Liaoning aircraft carrier for the drills, Taiwan officials said.

Chinese state television also showed a J-15 fighter jet taking off from the decks.

Chinese military spokesperson Navy Senior Captain Li Xi said: “This is a major warning to those who back Taiwan independence and a signifier of our determination to safeguard our national sovereignty."

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Similar Chinese military drills have been held in May, with massive military exercises also taking place in 2022 after US Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi made a brief visit to the island.

Taiwan was a Japanese colony before being unified with China at the end of World War Two.

It split away in 1949 when Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalists fled to the island, as Mao Zedong’s Communists swept to power on the mainland.

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