China Conducts Live-Fire Drills Near Taiwan Amid Rising Tensions

The drills follow large-scale military exercises and a U.S.-Canada naval transit through the Taiwan Strait, escalating regional tensions.

China's latest live-fire exercises took place off the coast of Fujian province, near the Pingtan Islands, close to Taiwan.
The drills are part of a series of military maneuvers by China, which claims Taiwan as its territory and has not ruled out using force to assert control.
Taiwan's government downplayed the threat, viewing the drills as part of annual exercises, but expressed concerns over regional stability.
The U.S. and Canada conducted a naval transit through the Taiwan Strait, asserting freedom of navigation, which China condemned as destabilizing.
Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te has rejected Beijing's sovereignty claims, emphasizing Taiwan's self-governance and independence.