China fires missiles on second day of military drills around Taiwan

China launched missiles and deployed dozens of fighter aircraft and navy vessels around Taiwan on Tuesday for a second day of live-fire drills aimed at simulating a blockade of the self-ruled island’s key ports and assaults on maritime targets.

Taipei, which slammed the two-day war games as “highly provocative and reckless”, claimed the manoeuvre failed to impose a blockade on the island.

China claims Taiwan as part of its sovereign territory and has refused to rule out military action to seize the island.

AFP journalists in Pingtan, a Chinese island at the closest point to Taiwan’s main island, saw a volley of rockets blast into the air at around 9:00am (6am PKT) on Tuesday, leaving trails of white smoke.

At least 10 were launched in quick succession, sending a booming sound reverberating across the sky and drawing tourists towards the seafront to snap photos and videos on their phones.

Taiwanese authorities counted 27 rockets fired by Chinese forces on Tuesday.

China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) said in a statement that it had “conducted long-range live fire drills in the waters to the north of the Taiwan Island and achieved desired effects”.

The show of force follows a bumper round of arms sales to Taipei by the United States, Taiwan’s main security backer, and comments from Japan’s prime minister that the use of force against Taiwan could warrant a military response from Tokyo.

China’s top diplomat Wang Yi said on Tuesday that Beijing would “forcefully counter” large-scale US weapons sales to Taiwan, adding that any attempt to obstruct China’s unification with the island “will inevitably end in failure”.

“War? Impossible. It’s just posturing. If they really attacked Taiwan, they would have to pay a price.” China’s military last held large-scale drills involving live firing around Taiwan in April.

Beijing said this month it would take “resolute and forceful measures” to safeguard its territory after Taiwan said the United States had approved an $11 billion arms sale.

US President Donald Trump said he was not concerned about the drills, appearing to brush aside the possibility of counterpart Xi Jinping ordering an invasion of Taiwan.

“I don’t believe he’s going to be doing it,” Trump said.

On Tuesday, the European Union slammed China over the drills, saying the exercise “endangers international peace and stability”, and urging restraint from actions that could escalate tensions.