In an initial statement, China announced that the armed exercises would not take place until Tuesday, but by lunchtime on Monday, activity had already begun in both the sea and the air around the self-governing island.
According to Taiwan, 89 Chinese military aircraft and 28 warships and coast guard vessels have been spotted near the island.
In connection with the military exercise, China took the opportunity to issue a "serious warning" against "external forces" interfering in China's internal affairs, AFP reports.
“Military scare tactics”
The exercises are also to be seen as “a stern warning against Taiwanese independence separatists.” The army, navy, air force and the country’s rocket force will all participate, it added.
The announcement was quickly met with condemnation from Taipei. According to a spokesman for President Lai Ching-Te, Taiwan sees China’s upcoming exercises as a “military scare tactic” and believes they go against the international order. The country’s military also announced that “appropriate forces” have been deployed in response.
The civil aviation authority in Taiwan has warned that over 100,000 passengers will be affected by China's military exercises, AFP reports.
Loaded question
The government in Beijing considers Taiwan part of China, but in practice Taiwan has been self-governing and separate since the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949.
The Taiwan issue is a charged one for China on a foreign policy level.
Relations between China and Japan have recently deteriorated after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made statements about Japan providing military support in the event of a possible Chinese attack on Taiwan.
Tensions with the US are also high over Taiwan. In mid-December, the US government approved a large-scale arms sale to Taiwan. The deal is worth the equivalent of approximately SEK 100 billion.
China reacted strongly to the announcement and urged the US to immediately stop the "dangerous actions" of arming Taiwan.
