The Chinese Foreign Ministry said the drills were a warning to "Taiwan separatist forces" and a response to foreign support of Taiwan independence.

China held what it said were new “military exercises” around Taiwan, linking them to recent US moves backing the self-ruled archipelago and the actions of what it called independence forces.

Chinese military exercises near Taiwan on Monday were punishment for Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te's continued promotion of "separatism", according to a stern statement out of Beijing, as Taiwan hit back by calling China a troublemaker.