China conducts live-fire drills in the Taiwan Strait for two straight days; Taiwan says, "Stop military provocations immediately"

[Financial News] China carried out live-fire drills in parts of the Taiwan Strait for two consecutive days, prompting a strong backlash from Taiwan, which called on Beijing to immediately stop its military provocations.
According to Taiwan media, including Liberty Times, on the 24th, the Zhangzhou Maritime Safety Administration in Fujian Province announced on its website on the 22nd that it would conduct live-fire drills in parts of the Taiwan Strait from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the 23rd and 24th. During the exercise period, vessels were also barred from entering the area.
China did not disclose the specific details or purpose of the drills. The training area is near Dongshandao in Zhangzhou, Fujian Province, close to Taiwan. Liberty Times reported that it is about 106 kilometers from Kinmen and about 191 kilometers from the Penghu Islands, and roughly 102 kilometers west of the Taiwan Strait median line.
Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that China is undermining regional safety and stability while threatening the navigation safety of aircraft and ships by disregarding international norms. It criticized Beijing, saying it must "immediately stop military provocations and gray-zone incursions." The ministry added that Taiwan, as a responsible member of the Indo-Pacific region, has worked to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the region, and argued that China is the main source of rising tensions through its use of force.
Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs also urged the international community to condemn China's unilateral attempts to change the status quo and its actions that threaten regional security.
Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council, the government body in charge of mainland China affairs, said the drills have had only limited direct impact on Taiwan so far.
It added that the Ministry of National Defense and the Ocean Affairs Council's Coast Guard Administration are closely monitoring related developments and preparing for any changes in the situation.
The drills were held as China has recently expanded military activity around Taiwan, raising concerns that tensions in the Taiwan Strait could rise further.

[email protected] Kim Kyung-min Reporter