China fires rockets in long-range fire drills around Taiwan on day 2 of military exercise

China on Tuesday fired rockets during long-range live fire drills on day two of a large-scale military exercise around Taiwan.

The ground forces of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command carried out the drills in the waters north of Taiwan in the morning, said the command's spokesperson Li Xi, according to state-run Xinhua News.

Li added that the drills has achieved their "desired effects."

Drills involving assaults on maritime targets, as well as anti-air and anti-submarine operations, were also conducted to the north and south of Taiwan on Tuesday.

The destroyers, frigates, fighter jets, and bombers carried out operations including simulated strikes and assaults on maritime targets and anti-air and anti-submarine exercises.

The drills tested capabilities for sea-air coordination and integrated blockade and control, according to the theater command.

According to a video shared on the China Military Bugle, the official PLA account on US social media company X showed the Chinese soldiers firing rockets using heavy weaponry.

The impact of the Chinese military's live-fire drill was inside Taiwan's 24-nautical-mile line, according to Taiwan's Defense Ministry.

Warning against external interference in Taiwan, Beijing launched drills on Monday, days after the US approved a one-time record sale of arms worth over $11 billion to Taipei.

- 'Taiwan won't provoke confrontation'

Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te said Tuesday that Beijing "has continued to escalate military tension in the region, which is not the behavior of a responsible world power," according to Focus Taiwan.

"Taiwan will not provoke a confrontation, nor seek conflict with China," he added.

The ministry also said that 130 PLA aircraft, 14 naval vessels, and eight official ships were operating around Taiwan up until 6 am (2200GMT Monday), according to a statement on X.

"90 out of 130 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern, central, southwestern and eastern ADIZ (air defense identification zone). We monitored the situation, responded," it added.

Defense Minister Wellington Koo said Tuesday that Beijing's actions "threaten regional stability and civilian traffic."

The Taiwanese military also said: "Parts of all five of the drill zones designated by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) for live-fire drills Tuesday are within Taiwan's territorial waters."

The drills also affected air traffic around the island as TVBS News said some 941 flights in Taiwan were reportedly affected.

Taiwan also criticized a Chinese drone capturing a view of Taipei as a typical example of psychological warfare, according to the Taiwan News, citing the ministry.

On Monday, the PLA said on its official account on X that a Chinese military drone recorded an aerial view of the Taipei 101 skyscraper.

"So close, so beautiful, go to Taipei at any time …" it said.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Tuesday that the drills are "a punitive and deterrent response to Taiwan independence separatist forces who attempt to seek independence through military buildup."

"It is a necessary move to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity," he said.

Beijing launched the Justice Mission 2025 joint military drills on Monday around Taiwan in a stern warning against "Taiwan independence separatist forces" and "external interference."