Taiwan denies Chinese strikes as Beijing escalates live naval drills around the island

China’s military held long-range, live-fire drills in the East China Sea on Wednesday in an escalation of exercises around Taiwan, saying it was practicing precision strikes on port and energy facilities, but Taiwan said none took place nearby.

The exercises follow a rise in Chinese rhetoric against Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, who China called a “parasite” on Tuesday, and come on the heels of U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s Asia visit, during which he repeatedly criticized Beijing.

China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, has repeatedly denounced Lai as a “separatist.” Lai, who won election and took office last year, rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims and says only Taiwan’s people can decide their future.

China’s Eastern Theater Command said that on Wednesday as part of the Strait Thunder-2025A exercise its ground forces had conduc...
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