Key facts
- Taiwan's Defense Minister Wellington Koo said the military is monitoring Chinese live-fire drills.
- The drills are taking place along China's coast, with the closest to Taiwan off the province of Zhejiang.
- China's defense ministry stated the exercises are meant to deter "Taiwan independence" moves and outside interference.
Taiwan's military is closely monitoring a series of Chinese live-fire drills taking place along China's coast this week, according to Defense Minister Wellington Koo. The drills, announced by the China Maritime Safety Administration with no-sail notices for five areas from the South China Sea up to Liaoning province, are scheduled to last all week. The closest drill to Taiwan is off the eastern province of Zhejiang.
Koo stated that the preliminary assessment is that these activities are firing drills by coastal artillery and related units. He added that Taiwan adheres to the principle of "anticipating the enemy as broadly as possible" and will continue to closely monitor China's activities.