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China has fired rockets close to Taiwan in a series of military exercises designed to test planning for an invasion of the island.
Beijing deployed new amphibious assault ships alongside destroyers and bomber aircraft, on the second day of drills rehearsing a blockade of Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory.
Donald Trump said he was not concerned by the provocative action, which China launched days after Washington approved £8bn in arms sales to the self-governing island.
The “Justice Mission 2025” exercises – the largest by area and closest to Taiwan yet – began on Monday with Beijing deploying troops, warships, fighter jets and artillery to showcase its ability to cut off the island from outside support in a conflict.
China’s Eastern Theatre Command said it had fired rockets into waters both north and south, with live-firing exercises affecting the sea and airspace of five locations around Taiwan.
It released footage showing what appeared to be a PCH-191 advanced long-range rocket launcher firing into the sea. Built to rival the US Himars system, Chinese officials say it can strike any point in Taiwan.
Debris was reported as close as 24 nautical miles off the island’s coast, according to Taiwan’s defence ministry, which condemned the drills, calling Beijing “the greatest destroyer of peace”.
The ministry said 130 Chinese military aircraft and 22 navy and coastguard vessels had been operating around the island, simulating a blockade of Taiwan’s ports, with some the ships engaged in stand-offs with Taiwanese vessels.
Lai Ching-te, Taiwan’s president, said that front-line troops were primed to defend the island – but that Taipei did not seek to escalate the situation.
The US president on Monday dismissed concerns, instead touting his relationship with Xi Jinping, China’s president, who has repeatedly insisted that Taiwan’s “reunification” with Beijing is inevitable.
“I have a great relationship with President Xi, and he hasn’t told me anything about it,” Mr Trump said.
Apparently referring to military action against Taiwan, he also said: “I don’t believe he’s going to be doing it.”
“Nothing worries me. Nothing. They’ve been doing naval exercises for 20 years in that area,” he added.
The war games began 11 days after the Trump administration announced its largest-ever weapons package to Taiwan, which has been self-governing since 1949.
The move drew immediate anger from China’s defence ministry and warnings that its military would “take forceful measures” in response.
Beijing has also been more forcefully promoting its territorial claims over the island, particularly after Japan’s prime minister last month suggested Tokyo could take military action if Beijing attacked Taiwan.
The “Justice Mission” exercises mark China’s sixth major round of war games since 2022, when Nancy Pelosi, at the time the speaker of the US House, visited Taiwan. Taipei is watching to see whether China will fire missiles over the island, as it did then.
The US is bound by law to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself, though its arms sales are a persistent source of friction with China.
Analysts say Beijing’s drills increasingly blur the line between routine military training exercises and what could be setting the stage for an attack, a strategy intended to give the US and its allies minimal warning of an actual assault.
Last week, a draft Pentagon report said that China “expects to be able to fight and win a war on Taiwan by the end of 2027”, the centenary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army, Reuters reported.
