China could find a "pretext" to stage new war games around Taiwan this year, coinciding with sensitive dates such as the anniversary in May of a year since President Lai Ching-te took office, a senior Taiwan coast guard official said.

The Chinese military announced large-scale drills in the waters around Taiwan on Tuesday as it again warned the self-ruled island against seeking independence. The joint exercises involve navy, air ground and rocket forces and are meant to be a “severe warning and forceful containment against Taiwan independence,

The Chinese military practiced live-fire strikes in the East China Sea in an escalation of ongoing surprise drills near Taiwan, the People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command said in a statement Wednesday.