China launched missiles and deployed dozens of fighter aircraft and navy vessels around Taiwan for a second day of live-fire drills aimed at simulating a blockade of the self-ruled island's key ports and assaults on maritime targets.
The two-day war games, code-named "Justice Mission 2025" were slammed by Taiwan as "highly provocative and reckless".
China claims Taiwan as part of its sovereign territory and has refused to rule out military action to seize the island democracy.
AFP journalists in Pingtan, a Chinese island that is the closest point to Taiwan's main island, saw a volley of rockets blast into the air leaving trails of white smoke.
At least 10 rockets were launched in quick succession, each sending a booming sound reverberating throughout Pingtan.
Tourists rushed towards wooden barricades overlooking the sea, whipping out their phones to snap photos and videos of the rockets.
China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) said in a statement shortly after that it had "conducted long-range live fire drills in the waters to the north of the Taiwan Island and achieved desired effects".
The latest show of force follows a bumper round of arms sales to Taipei by the United States, Taiwan's main security backer, and comments from Japan's prime minister that the use of force against Taiwan could warrant a military response from Tokyo.
China's top diplomat Wang Yi said Tuesday in a speech in Beijing that China would "forcefully counter" large-scale US weapons sales to Taiwan, adding that any attempt to obstruct China's unification with the island "will inevitably end in failure".
Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te vowed in a Facebook post that the territory would not be "escalating the conflict" or provoke disputes.
'Live-fire training'
China said it had deployed destroyers, frigates, fighters and bombers "to conduct drills on subjects of identification and verification, warning and expulsion, simulated strikes, assault on maritime targets, as well as anti-air and anti-submarine operations".
State broadcaster CCTV reported that a core theme of the exercises was a "blockade" of key Taiwanese ports, including Keelung in the north and Kaohsiung in the south.
Chinese authorities published a map of five large zones around Taiwan where the war games would take place.
Taiwan said China's designated exercise zones, some of which are within 12 nautical miles of its coast, have affected international shipping and aviation routes.
Dozens of flights to offshore Kinmen and Matsu islands were cancelled, according to Taiwan's Civil Aviation Administration.
The island's defence ministry said it had detected 130 Chinese military aircraft near the island in a 24-hour period, as well as 14 Chinese navy ships and eight unspecified government vessels.
Taiwan's coast guard said it deployed 14 ships to monitor the naval activity, "employing a one-on-one shadowing approach to forcefully deter the vessels".
The drills by China's ruling Communist Party are "highly provocative and reckless", a spokesman for Taipei's defence ministry said adding they "seriously undermine regional peace and stability".
Many ordinary Taiwanese reacted stoically.
"There have been so many drills like this over the years that we are used to it," said fishmonger Chiang Sheng-ming, 24, at a market in Beitou, Taipei.
"If you stand your ground, there's nothing to be afraid of," added fruitseller Tseng Chang-chih, 80.
"War? Impossible. It's just posturing. If they really attacked Taiwan, they would have to pay a price."
China's military last held large-scale drills involving live firing around Taiwan in April -- surprise manoeuvres condemned by Taipei.
Beijing said this month it would take "resolute and forceful measures" to safeguard its territory after Taiwan said the United States had approved a major $11 billion arms sale.
US President Donald Trump said he was not concerned about the drills, appearing to brush aside the possibility of counterpart Xi Jinping ordering an invasion of Taiwan.
"I don't believe he's going to be doing it," Mr Trump said.
