The Chinese military says it will launch military drills surrounding Taiwan.
The announcement came at 6 a.m. on Monday, Japan Time. They would be the first major drills in waters surrounding Taiwan since May.
The announcement comes after Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te delivered a speech at a ceremony to mark Double Ten Day for the first time since he took office. Taiwan considers October 10 to be its national day.
In the speech on Thursday, he said, “the People’s Republic of China has no right to represent Taiwan.”
The Chinese military says the drills serve as a stern warning to the separatist acts of pro-independence forces in Taiwan.
The military argues that the exercise is a legitimate and necessary operation to safeguard national sovereignty and national unity.