China fires missiles nearTaiwan in fire drills as PLA encircles island

China has initiated its largest-ever military exercises encircling Taiwan  after United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi left the island. Her visit sparked a furious reaction from Beijing, which vowed punishment and announced military drills in the seas around Taiwan -- some of the world's busiest waterways. The exercises, which began around 0400 GMT on Thursday involve live-firing, according to state media. State broadcaster CCTV reported that six major areas around the island have been selected for this actual combat exercise and during this period, relevant ships and aircraft are directed not to enter the relevant waters and airspaces. China fired ballistic missiles and deployed fighter jets and warships. China launched a series of exercises in multiple zones around Taiwan, straddling some of the busiest shipping lanes in the world and at some points just 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the island's shore. 

The #Chinese Army has begun its large-scale military exercise in six waters around #Taiwan. The exercise will take place from August 4 to 7. pic.twitter.com/iAPBxp9duA

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) August 4, 2022

Taiwan said the Chinese military fired 11 Dongfeng-class ballistic missiles "in several batches" and condemned the exercises as "irrational actions that undermine regional peace". Taipei did not say where the missiles landed or whether they flew over the island. Beijing has defended the drills as "necessary and just", pinning the blame for the escalation on the United States and its allies. "In the face of this blatant provocation, we have to take legitimate and necessary countermeasures to safeguard the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity," foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a regular briefing Thursday. The purpose is to show that the PLA is capable of controlling all the exits of the Taiwan Island, which will be a great deterrent to 'Taiwan independence' secessionist forces," Zhang Junshe, a senior researcher at China's Naval Research Institute, said.