China says it is conducting military exercises near the Taiwan Strait to “protect its sovereignty” even as a top US official visits Taiwan.
The live-fire drills come amid rising tensions between Beijing and Washington, and as the US moves to shore up its support of the island.
China regards self-ruled Taiwan as a breakaway province.
Keith Krach is the highest-level official from the US State Department to visit the island in decades.
On Friday, China’s defence ministry spokesman Ren Guoqiang accused the US and Taiwan of “stepping up collusion, frequently causing disturbances”, although he did not make any reference to the visit.
Mr Ren did not give details about the military exercise, which involves the People’s Liberation Army’s eastern theatre command, but described them as “legitimate and necessary for the mainland to protect its sovereignty and integrity”.
They follow two days of large-scale Chinese drills off Taiwan’s southwestern coast last week.
