Taiwan

"But we will not renounce the use of force, and we reserve the option of taking all necessary measures. Use of force would be the last resort taken under compelling circumstances. We will only be forced to take drastic measures to respond to the provocation of separatist elements or external forces should they ever cross our red lines.

"China has used the drills and its military playbook to prepare for the invasion of Taiwan," RT quoted Wu as saying during a press conference. Beijing is engaging in "large-scale military exercises and missile launches, as well as cyber-attacks, a disinformation campaign and economic coercion in order to weaken public morale in Taiwan", the diplomat insisted.

The live ammunition artillery exercise known as the Tien Lei drill was announced in late July and was designed to simulate Taiwan's defence against an attack by China's People's Liberation Army (PLA), reports dpa news agency. It is taking place on Tuesday and Thursday this week and was planned as part of Taiwan's annual Han Kuang exercises, but comes amid heightened tensions and just after China said it would extend large-scale air and sea drills to the north, south-west and east of Taiwan that had been due to end on Sunday.

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) drills, which officially began last Thursday, focused on six zones that essentially encircled Taiwan, restricting access to civilian ships and aircraft in the area, as forces conducted live-fire drills and missile launches, CNN reported. Meng Xiangqing, a professor at the PLA National Defense University, said the six areas were chosen to show how China could cut off Taiwan's ports, attack its most important military installations, and sever access for foreign forces that may come to Taiwan's aid.

In the Philippines on Saturday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the Philippines is an "irreplaceable ally" while the Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. reflecting on the Taiwan Strait tensions said: "...the visit of your House Speaker Nancy Pelosi coming here... I did not think it raised the intensity; it just demonstrated how the intensity of the conflict has been...".

China's state television reported that the exercises were focussing on "anti-submarine and sea assault operations", reports dpa news agency In announcing the manoeuvres to the north, south-west and east of self-ruled island on August 2, China had originally promised their conclusion on Sunday.

The Eastern Theatre Command of the Chinese military said around noon local time that it conducted live-fire drills in the waters and airspace around Taiwan "as planned", CNN reported. "The drills focused on joint fire land strikes and long-range air strike capabilities," the command said in a statement posted to its official account on the social media platform Weibo, without specifying whether the drills have ended.

Taiwan said it responded to the Chinese drills, now in their fourth day, by deploying aircraft and ships on Sunday, the BBC reported. The heightened tensions follow a trip to Taiwan by a US delegation led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. China views the visit as a challenge to its claims of sovereignty over Taiwan, which sees itself as distinct.

Taiwan's military reported that 20 Chinese military aircraft and 14 warships had taken part in Saturday's exercises, with Chinese drones again observed over the Taiwan-administered island of Kinmen, which lies just 10 km from the port city of Xiamen on the Chinese mainland, reports dpa news agency.

The Ministry said that numerous military aircraft and warships were operating near Taiwan and some of them had crossed the unofficial centre line in the 130-km-wide Taiwan Strait, which separates the mainland and the island and is mostly respected by both sides, reports dpa news agency. In response, Taiwan's military had sent aircraft, radioed warnings and mobilised missile defence systems to track the Chinese military aircraft. The Mainland Affairs Council, Taiwan's government agency on policy dealings with Beijing, strongly protested China's simulation, asking to immediately stop the irresponsible provocation.