TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — China is holding live-fire drills off the coast of its southern Fujian province facing Taiwan, just a week after a massive air-and-sea drill it described as punishment for Taiwan’s president rejecting Beijing’s claims of sovereignty.
The live-fire drills were being held near the Pingtan islands, according to a notice from the Maritime Safety Administration. It warned ships to avoid the area. It did not offer additional details.
Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said China’s drills were part of an annual exercise and it was tracking them.
“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 statement added.
Taiwan is a self-ruled island that Beijing claims is part of China. Tensions around the issue have flared in recent years. China has increased its presence in the waters and skies around Taiwan. It now increasingly sends large numbers of warplanes and navy vessels to military exercises near Taiwan, and its coast guard carries out patrols.