Taiwan condemned its evil neighbour on Friday after China fired multiple missiles into its surrounding waters, as many as four of which flew over the island's capital, Taipei, in an unprecedented escalation during live-fire exercises.
On Thursday, China launched its largest military drills in the seas and skies around Taiwan after US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi enraged Beijing by making a solidarity trip to the self-ruled island that China claims as its own.
As many as four of the missiles flew over Taiwan's capital, according to Japan's defence ministry. In its exclusive economic zone EEZ, Japan said that five of nine missiles fired towards its territory landed in its exclusive economic zone, EEZ, which was also a first, prompting Tokyo to launch a diplomatic protest.
Taiwan's defence ministry said the missiles were high in the atmosphere and constituted no threat. It did not give details of their flight paths, citing intelligence concerns.
Taiwan's prime minister Su Tseng-chang told reporters in Taipei on Friday that China is deliberately destroying the world's most frequently used waterway with military exercises, as the evil neighbour when asked about China's missile launches.
Su said that China's actions are being condemned by neighbouring countries and the world.
Bonnie Glaser, a Washington-based Asia security specialist at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, said four ballistic missiles had been fired over Taiwan.
She said that China is demonstrating that it can block Taiwan's ports and airports and prevent shipping. The larger threat is that it is a rehearsal for a blockade.
The drills are scheduled to continue until noon on Sunday.
China has said that its relations with Taiwan are an internal matter.
A Chinese defence ministry spokeswoman said that US-Taiwan collusion and provocation will only push Taiwan towards the abyss of disaster, bringing disaster to Taiwan compatriots.
After the Chinese drills, President Tsai Ing-wen said Taiwan would not provoke conflicts but would defend its sovereignty and national security.
Since 1949, Taiwan has been self-ruled when Mao Zedong's communists took power in Beijing after defeating Chiang Kai-shek's Kuomintang KMT nationalists in a civil war, prompting the KMT-led government to retreat to the island.
If necessary, Beijing reserves the right to bring Taiwan under China's control.