China launched a second day of live-fire military drills around Taiwan on Tuesday, simulating a blockade of key ports and attacks on maritime targets as tensions in the region continue to rise.

The two-day exercises, code-named “Justice Mission 2025,” began Monday and were denounced by Taiwan as an act of military intimidation.

China claims the self-governed island as its territory and has not ruled out using force to bring it under Beijing’s control.

Rocket launches observed

AFP journalists on the Chinese island of Pingtan, the closest point to Taiwan’s main island, saw a volley of rockets fired into the air around 9 a.m. Tuesday.

At least 10 rockets were launched seconds apart, leaving white smoke trails and loud booms that echoed across the island.

Tourists rushed to seaside barriers, raising phones to photograph and record the launches.

Shortly afterward, the People’s Liberation Army said its Eastern Theater Command had conducted long-range live-fire drills in waters north of Taiwan and achieved “desired effects.”

Regional tensions

The show of force followed a new round of U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and comments by Japan’s prime minister suggesting Tokyo could respond militarily if force were used against the island.

China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, said Beijing would “forcefully counter” what he described as provocations by pro-independence forces in Taiwan and large-scale U.S. weapons sales.

“Any attempt to obstruct China’s unification with Taiwan will inevitably fail,” Wang said in Beijing.

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said in a Facebook post on Tuesday that the island would not escalate the conflict or provoke disputes.

His office said earlier that China was showing “disregard for international norms” by using military intimidation against neighboring countries.

Blockade simulation

China said it deployed destroyers, frigates, fighter jets, and bombers to practice identification, warning, and expulsion maneuvers, simulated strikes, and anti-air and anti-submarine operations.

The Eastern Theater Command said the drills tested sea-air coordination and integrated blockade capabilities in waters north and south of Taiwan.

State broadcaster CCTV reported the exercises focused on blockading major ports, including Keelung in the north and Kaohsiung in the south.

Chinese authorities released a map showing five large exercise zones around the island. The drills are scheduled to end at 6 p.m. on Tuesday.

Taiwan’s defense ministry said some of the zones were within 12 nautical miles of its coast and had disrupted international shipping and aviation routes.

The ministry reported detecting 130 Chinese military aircraft, 14 navy vessels, and eight other government vessels in the area near the island within a 24-hour period.

Beijing’s military also released imagery portraying the drills as a “stern warning” to Taiwan independence forces.

China last conducted large-scale live-fire exercises around Taiwan in April, maneuvers that were also strongly condemned by Taipei.