"Your actions have affected the order and safety of our country," the Taiwanese coast guard warns the Chinese ships carrying out the drills.

Taiwan's opposition Kuomintang party (KMT) has called on China to show "restraint", a significant statement given that they have always advocated closer ties with Beijing.

It "solemnly" appealed to Beijing on Thursday to "stop unnecessary measures and avoid conflicts across the Taiwan Strait".

It also called on the new government in Taipei to ensure the safety of the Taiwanese people.

Rupert Wingfield-Hayes
in Taipei

There are four figures in China’s pantheon of pro-Taiwan independence criminals.

First is the late former KMT President Lee Teng-hui, next is ex-DPP president Chen Shui-bian, then Tsai Ing-wen and now current President William Lai. It is pretty clear that William Lai has immediately risen to become the most hated of them all.

In a commentary published a short while ago, state broadcaster CCTV blasted Lai for "selling the two-nation theory".

"Lai has surpassed Lee Teng-hui, Chen Shui-bian and Tsai Ing-wen in promoting independence for Taiwan," it reads.

Image source, Reuters

Fan Wang
BBC News, Singapore

Earlier we reported how people in Taipei appear to be shrugging off the drills, which have become an increasingly regular occurence.

But on China's heavily-censored social media, there is some excitement among the more nationalist voices.

On Weibo, statements from Beijing and updates of the military exercises have been widely shared.

A quote from Chinese military saying the drills are "strong punishment" for Taiwan's "separatist acts" is the top trend. And three of the top 10 hashtags on the site are about the ongoing military drills, and some are drawing provocative comments.

"I suggest we fly above the 'presidential residence' in Taipei for five minutes," a top comment under state broadcaster CCTV's Weibo post reads. It was liked more then 3,000 times.

"I can see it's a warning, but where is the punishment," another user asked.

Image source, Reuters

Taiwan's foreign ministry has urged China to "be rational" and to "stop undermining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait".

"Taiwan will maintain its democratic ideals and will not change due to pressure from neighboring countries.

"Our country is the bulwark of the world's democratic and free systems," the ministry said in a regular press conference on Thursday, adding that it will strengthen ties with partners that share its ideals.

Meanwhile Taiwan's defence ministry said it "stands ready with firm will and restraint".

"We seek no conflicts, but we will not shy away from one. We have the confidence to safeguard our national security," it said in a post on X.

This is how Chinese state broadcaster CCTV announced Thursday's drills.

This time, the military excercises were announced shortly after they had begun - unlike in 2022 when Beijing had warned of major military exercises before launching them.

For nearly 70 years, the "median line" in the Taiwan Strait had served as an unofficial border between China and Taiwan.

But Chinese military aircraft and warships now regularly cross it. Observers have said this has become a routine affair since then US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in August 2022, infuriating Beijing.

China said then that it would no longer acknowledge the median line.

Last year, when Taiwan raised the alarm over a record number of Chinese fighter jets crossing the median line, Beijing responded by saying that line did not exist.

Read more about how China has been fighting in the grey zone against Taiwan.

Rupert Wingfield-Hayes
in Taipei

Image source, Reuters

On the streets of Taipei, China’s latest military drills are going almost completely unnoticed. Once again there is a collective shrug.

Many will tell you they are not worried. But that is not quite true. People are worried, but there is a sense of powerlessness – and worrying about it is of little help.

The government and military are considerably more worried, not least because each year the drills are getting bigger and more dangerous.

Earlier, we mentioned analysts saying Beijing's current drills simulate a full-scale attack on the island.

China's military has released a map showing how the exercises will be staged all around the main island and will include Taiwanese islands close to the Chinese coast for the first time.

If you look closely at this PLA map, the frontline islands circled in red, going southward, are Dongyin, Matsu, Wuqiu and Kinmen.

Image source, PLA

Stephen McDonell
China correspondent

The People's Liberation Army is making no secret that this is an exercise in surrounding Taiwan, you just have to look at the map that the PLA has provided - the sections where the drills are taking place are all around Taiwan.

Their message here is that “if we wanted to, we could blockade that place. So we could stop supplies getting in and essentially, potentially force the government to its knees”.

The other thing that's being tested in these drills is an invasion because there are amphibious craft and rockets involved.

Taiwan's defence ministry has responded by saying that their military is on high alert. They also said they were “vigorously gathering intelligence” at this time.

What they are saying is, if the PLA is preparing to invade Taiwan, and this is a dress rehearsal, well, we can see how they're going to do it. And in the future, we can be ready because it helps us to prepare.

Rupert Wingfield-Hayes
in Taipei

For one, this is the first time China is simulating a full-scale attack, rather than an economic blockade as it did in 2022.

And also for the first time, it has mentioned as targets outlying islands close to the Chinese coast.

Two other things military analysts note about today's exercises – first, they were launched unannounced. Beijing confirmed them only after they began. In 2022, the drills began after a warning.

Second, analysts say the numbering being used for this exercise - 2024 A - suggests it may be the first of a series this year.

At the heart of the issue is China's claim over self-governed Taiwan.

Beijing sees the island as a breakaway province that will, eventually, be part of the country, and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve this.

But many Taiwanese consider themselves to be part of a separate nation - although most are in favour of maintaining the status quo where Taiwan neither declares independence from China nor unites with it.

Here's more on the China-Taiwan tensions.

Rupert Wingfield-Hayes
in Taipei

In August 2022, following a historic visit by then US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, China carried out its first “encirclement” operation, simulating a blockade of the main island of Taiwan with ships, aircraft and missile strikes.

In the two years since, military incursions into Taiwanese waters and airspace have become a nearly weekly affair.

This time analysts say China is going a stage further, simulating a full-scale attack on the island.

They note that for the first time Taiwan’s outlying islands close to the Chinese coast have been included as targets.

The aim of these operations is still primarily political. They serve as a warning to the new government of President William Lai – who is loathed by Beijing.

But each of these operations also sets new norms for the penetration of Taiwan’s air and sea space by Chinese air, naval and rocket forces.

Taiwan’s presidential office has said it is “regrettable” to see China“ using unilateral military provocations to threaten Taiwan's democracy and freedom”.

Reassuring the public, the office added that Taiwan’s military units and national security team have a “comprehensive grasp of the situation”.

“In the face of external challenges and threats, we will continue to defend democracy and are confident and capable of safeguarding national security. We ask the public to rest assured,” it said.

Taiwan said the drills on Thursday "highlight [Beijing's] militaristic mentality".

Its defence ministry has dispatched naval, air, and ground forces to "defend the [island's] sovereignty", it said in a statement.

"In recent years, the continuous harassment by Chinese aircraft and ships has significantly harmed global peace and stability,” Taiwan's defence ministry said.

“This military exercise not only fails to contribute to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait but also highlights the aggressive militaristic mentality of the Chinese military," it added.

China has started military drills around Taiwan just three days after William Lai was sworn in as the island's new president.

A spokesperson for the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) has called the drills a "strong punishment" for "separatist acts".

The drills, which started early Thursday, are happening all around the main island, including the Taiwan Strait to its west, and around the Taiwanese islands of Kinmen, Matsu, Wuqiu and Dongyin.

The PLA said they will focus on joint sea-air combat-readiness patrols, precision strikes on key targets, and integrated operations inside and outside the island to test the "joint real combat capabilities" of its forces.

Beijing has labelled Mr Lai a "separatist" and a "troublemaker" over remarks he made in the past supporting Taiwanese independence. Taiwan's defence ministry condemned Beijing's actions, and said they dispatched forces in response.

Welcome to our live coverage of Beijing’s military drills around Taiwan - which the People’s Liberation Army has called “punishment drills”. It said they were launched around 7:45 local time (23:45 GMT).

Chinese military exercises in the skies and seas around Taiwan have become a routine exercise in the past few years, raising fears of a conflict. But Thursday’s drills are significant because they come three days after Taiwan’s new president William Lai was sworn in, and follow an election which was seen as a rejection of Beijing’s increasingly aggressive claims on the self-governed island.

Stay with us as we bring you live updates.