China's military has commenced a new round of war games near Taiwan, aimed at signalling a stern warning to the island's pro-independence movements.
The exercises, named "Joint Sword-2024B", are being conducted in the Taiwan Strait and the surrounding areas to the north, south, and east of Taiwan.
Beijing, which views Taiwan as its territory, has not specified an end date for the drills.
The Chinese military's Eastern Theatre Command emphasised that the manoeuvres were a "legitimate and necessary" operation to safeguard China's sovereignty and national unity.
"The drill also serves as a stern warning to the separatist acts of Taiwan independence forces. It is a legitimate and necessary operation for safeguarding state sovereignty and national unity," it said in a statement.
In response, Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council condemned the exercises as "blatant provocations", accusing China of destabilising the region.
China should respect the Taiwan people's choice of a free and democratic way of life and refrain from military provocations, Taiwan's Presidential Office said on Monday.
The transport ministry said they would ensure safe flight operations despite the drills.
Tensions rise after Taiwan's National Day speech
The latest military action follows a National Day speech by Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te in which he reiterated that China had no right to represent Taiwan.
Mr Lai also extended an offer to work with Beijing to combat challenges like climate change, but the Chinese government swiftly rejected it.
Chinese state media has since intensified criticism of Mr Lai, accusing him of advocating for independence.
The drills are "focusing on subjects of sea-air combat-readiness patrol, blockade on key ports and areas", said Captain Li Xi, spokesman for the Chinese military's Eastern Theater Command.
Fighter jets and warships had been deployed, Chinese state media said.
However, there were no reports of live-fire exercises or no-fly zones, a contrast to 2022 when China fired missiles over Taiwan after a visit by then-US House speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Taiwan's security chief said on Monday that China's military drills around the island were "inconsistent with international law".
Taiwan and International responses
Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense has dispatched its own forces to monitor the situation, stressing the island's commitment to maintaining peace in the Taiwan Strait.
Officials believe China is practising blockading Taiwanese ports and key international shipping lanes.
President Lai, despite Beijing's hostility, continues to advocate for cooperation on issues like climate change, while reiterating that only Taiwan's people can decide their future.
The White House has yet to comment on the ongoing war games, but the US previously condemned China's use of Mr Lai's speech as a pretext for military pressure.
This is the second major military exercise this year, following the "Joint Sword-2024A" drills in May, shortly after Mr Lai took office.
Despite these tensions, Mr Lai has consistently offered to engage in dialogue with Beijing, though these efforts have been rebuffed.
Monday's drills represent its fourth round of large-scale war games in the past two years.
The United States said China's actions were "unwarranted" and risked "escalation" as it called on Beijing to act with restraint.
Calm on the streets
Sana Hashmi, a fellow at the Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation, believes the lack of a specified end date for the drills is deliberate, intended to create uncertainty.
"The logic is to keep people on edge, wondering if the situation might escalate," she told the ABC, adding that China was using the exercises as a "strong deterrence" against any pro-independence movements in Taiwan.
She downplayed the likelihood of the drills escalating further, noting they had become routine since Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan.
"China is clearly trying to normalise its military activities," she explained.
"The issue is less about Taiwan's leadership and more about China's broader strategy to change the status quo," she added.
Despite the military activity, daily life in Taiwan continues largely uninterrupted.
"I won't panic too much because they often have drills," engineer Benjamin Hsiao, 34, told the AFP news agency in Taipei.
"It's not the first time in recent years, so I feel a bit numb," he added.
