China launched live-fire drills around Taiwan that it said would simulate a blockade of the self-ruled island's key ports, prompting Taipei to condemn Beijing's "military intimidation."

The Pentagon said on Wednesday that Lockheed Martin was given a contract involving foreign military sales to Taiwan to meet what Washington calls "an urgent operational need" of the Taiwan Air Force.

The Chinese military says it dispatched air, navy and missile units for a second day to conduct joint live-fire drills around Taiwan to warn against what it calls separatist and “external interference” forces.

As Taiwan blasts China's "highly provocative and reckless" blockade rehearsal, Trump touts his relationship with Xi Jinping and says an invasion is unlikely.

The second day of the large-scale war games, called “Justice Mission 2025,” saw the Chinese military encircle Taiwan on Tuesday.

China's military has increased its presence in Taiwan's skies and waters in the past few years, conducting drills on a near-daily basis near the island nation.

Taipei: Taiwan on Saturday reported fresh Chinese military activity around the island, with multiple Chinese aircraft and naval vessels detected near its airspace and waters. In a post on X, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence (MND) said that 13 sorties of Chinese PLA aircraft and seven PLAN naval vessels were spotted operating around Taiwan