China Fires Rockets in Taiwan Strait as Live-Fire Drills Enter Second Day

China fired rockets in the Taiwan Strait on Tuesday morning as it escalated its ongoing military exercises around the self-ruled island of Taiwan, according to footage captured by AFP journalists.

Reporters stationed in Pingtan — a Chinese island located at the closest point to Taiwan’s main island — witnessed a volley of rockets being launched into the sky at around 9 am local time (0100 GMT). The rockets left long trails of white smoke as they streaked upward, marking the start of the second day of live-fire drills in the strategically sensitive waters.

The drills are part of a broader show of force by Beijing, which considers Taiwan a part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to bring the island under its control. China has frequently conducted large-scale military exercises around Taiwan in recent years, often in response to perceived political provocations or foreign engagement with Taipei.

Taiwan, which governs itself democratically, has repeatedly condemned such drills as intimidation and destabilising to regional peace. The latest exercises come amid heightened tensions across the Taiwan Strait, with regional and global powers closely monitoring developments due to the potential impact on security and trade routes in the Indo-Pacific.

Chinese authorities have not immediately released detailed information about the scope or duration of the current drills. However, the visible rocket launches underscore Beijing’s intent to signal military readiness and assert its claims over Taiwan.