About 26 Chinese aircraft crossed the median line of the
Taiwan Strait, Taiwan's ministry of defence said.
It said Beijing was trying to influence Taiwan's upcoming
election.
China said the drills would test its forces' ability to
fight in "combat conditions", state media reported.
The People's Liberation Army "launched joint air and
sea patrols and military exercises of the navy and air force around the island
of Taiwan" on Saturday, military spokesperson Shi Yi is quoted by Xinhua
as saying.
The exercises would serve as a "stern warning to the
collusion of 'Taiwan independence' separatists with foreign elements and their
provocations", he added.
It follows Chinese anger at a recent stopover by Taiwan's
vice president, William Lai, in the United States. China previously launched
major military exercises after Nancy Pelosi, then US House speaker, visited
Taiwan last year and again when President Tsai Ing-wen met with US House
Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California.
Mr Lai, a frontrunner in Taiwan's upcoming presidential
election in January, was visiting the US on a trip to Paraguay.
China said Mr Lai was a "troublemaker" and that it
would take "resolute measures" to "safeguard national
sovereignty and territorial integrity".
Despite China's claim to sovereignty over the island, Taiwan
governs itself. It described China's military exercise as "irrational and
provocative behaviour".
Taiwan said it would dispatch "appropriate forces"
to respond "with practical actions" - adding that the national army
was using reconnaissance methods to "strictly control" the situation.
"Conducting a military exercise this time under a
pretext not only does not help the peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,
but also highlights (China's) militaristic mentality and confirms the hegemonic
nature of its military expansion," Taiwan's defence ministry said.
Taiwan's foreign minister said China's military drills were
intended to influence Taiwan's elections.
"The PRC has made it clear it wants to shape Taiwan's
coming national election," Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said on X, formerly
known as Twitter.
"Well, it's up to our citizens to decide, not the bully
next door," he added.
In Taiwan's capital Taipei, residents said they were not
overly concerned by China's activities.
"I think it (the drill) is more like a show, it would
be quite impossible (for China) to launch a real attack. Although it is still
possible but it should be quite difficult for it to happen, " Huang
Chung-en told the BBC.
Chou-Yu-Hsuan said she was "unafraid" as she did
not think a war will happen.
"They (China) have been saying it for a long time. My
feeling is that if a real war breaks out, there will be a lot of problems.
Besides, there is the US," she added. -BBC