China kicks off massive military drills around Taiwan
August 4, 2022, 9:40 am

China kicks off massive military drills around Taiwan

Taiwan Coast Guard patrol ships are seen during a drill held about 4 nautical miles out of the port of Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan, June 6, 2015. (Reuters)

Following top US Democrat Nancy Pelosi's controversial visit to Taipei in the face of warnings from Beijing, China has begun live fire military drills - its biggest-ever in the region - in the waters around Taiwan.

Some of the affected areas are just 12 miles off the island - the closest Beijing's military exercises have ever come, the BBC reported.

Taiwan says the move, which stops ships and planes from using the space, violates its sovereignty and amounts to a blockade. It is also a breach of UN conventions and international law - and has condemned China for declaring exclusion zones.

This is expected to last for four days - so it's a major headache for Taiwan to deal with.

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The Taiwanese government has also warned local companies that they need to be prepared for a large number of cyber attacks originating in China in the next few days.

China sees self-ruled Taiwan - which lies 100 miles from the mainland - as a breakaway province that will eventually be under its control.

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