[UPDATE-Apr. 13] China Launches Military Drills after U.S. House Speaker Meeting, Simulates Striking Taiwan on 2nd Day

China launched military drills around Taiwan on Saturday, in what it called a “stern warning” to the self-ruled island’s government following a meeting between its president and the U.S. House speaker.

The move sparked condemnation from Taipei and calls for restraint from Washington, which said it was “monitoring Beijing’s actions closely”.

China’s military simulated precision strikes against Taiwan in a second day of drills around the island on Sunday, with the island’s defense ministry reporting multiple air force sorties and that it was monitoring China’s missile forces. China, which claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, began three days of military exercises around the island on Saturday, the day after Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen returned from a brief visit to the United States.

[UPDATE-Apr. 13] Kremlin stands up for China over Taiwan issue