FUZHOU China began three days of military exercises around Taiwan on Saturday to express anger at Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wens meeting with the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, with the islands Defence Ministry saying it would respond calmly.

The drills, announced the day after Ms Tsai returned from the US, had been widely expected after Beijing condemned the meeting with Mr Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles.

China views Taiwan as its own territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control.

Beijings announcement came just hours after China hosted a visit by senior European leaders.

The Peoples Liberation Armys Eastern Theatre Command said it started the combat readiness patrols and Joint Sword exercises around Taiwan, having said earlier it would be holding them in the Taiwan Strait and to the north, south and east of the island as planned.

This is a serious warning to the Taiwan independence separatist forces and external forces collusion and provocation, and it is a necessary action to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity, it added.

Taiwans Defence Ministry said eight Chinese warships and 42 fighter jets were detected around the island on Saturday.

The incursion included 29 jets that crossed into Taiwans south-western air defence identification zone, the highest number in a single day this year.

China was using Ms Tsais US visit as an excuse to carry out military exercises, which have seriously damaged regional peace, stability and security, the ministry noted.

The military will respond with a calm, rational and serious attitude, and will stand guard and monitor in accordance with the principles of not escalating nor provoking disputes to defend national sovereignty and national security.

A senior US lawmaker pledged on Saturday to help provide training for Taiwans armed force and to speed up the delivery of weapons.

Speaking at a lunch in Taipei hosted by Ms Tsai for his bipartisan delegation, Mr Michael McCaul, chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, said they were there in strong support of Taiwan and that it was important democracies stood together.

As the House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman, I sign off on all foreign military sales, including weapons to Taiwan, and I promise you, Madam President, we will deliver those weapons, he said. More On This Topic Why is China so angry about Taiwan president Tsai Ing-wen meeting US Speaker McCarthy? US Speaker McCarthy meets Taiwan leader Tsai, stresses need to speed up arms deliveries Harass and squeeze

A senior Taiwan official familiar with security planning in the region told Reuters that China is likely to increase its air and sea patrols in an attempt to harass Taiwans air defence zone and squeeze closer to the Taiwan Straits median line, which normally serves as an unofficial barrier between the two.

The situation is as expected and manageable, and Taiwans government has rehearsed various scenarios for its response, the person added, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Reporters in a seaside area near Fuzhou, which sits opposite the Taiwan-controlled Matsu islands, saw a Chinese warship firing shells onto a drill area on Chinas coast, part of activities announced by China late on Friday.

Chinese state media said the drills are a rehearsal of an encirclement of Taiwan.

The task force will simultaneously organise patrols and advances around Taiwan island, shaping an all-round encirclement and deterrence posture, state broadcaster CCTV said. A Chinese warship sailing during a military exercise near Fuzhou, Fujian province, near the Taiwan-controlled Matsu Islands, on April 8, 2023. PHOTO: REUTERS The report, published online, went on to detail the type of weaponry China was using during the drills.

CCTV said long-range rocket artillery, naval destroyers, missile boats, air force fighters, bombers, jammers and refuellers have all been deployed in the war games.

Ms Tsai will meet a visiting US lawmaker delegation, led by Mr Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, later on Saturday.

The Peoples Daily, the official newspaper of Chinas ruling Communist Party, said in a commentary on Saturday that the government has a strong ability to thwart any form of Taiwan independence secession.

All countermeasures taken by the Chinese government belong to Chinas legitimate and legal right to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, it noted.

Ms Tsai has repeatedly offered talks with China but has been rebuffed as Beijing views her as a separatist. She says only Taiwans people can decide their future. More On This Topic Taiwan won't be stopped from engaging with world, President Tsai says upon return from US Dont expect US-China ties to improve, best scenario is to avoid conflict: Chinese scholar Diplomacy and drills

China had threatened unspecified retaliation if the meeting with Mr McCarthy second in line to succeed the US President, after the Vice-President were to take place. Beijing staged war games around Taiwan, including missile launches, in August after then House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei.

However, unlike in August, China has yet to announce whether it will also stage missile drills. In the previous instance, China published a map at the time it announced the drills, showing which maritime areas near Taiwan it would be firing into. A Chinese coastguard ship taking part in a military drill near Fuzhou, Fujian Province, near the Taiwan-controlled Matsu Islands that are close to the Chinese coast, on April 8, 2023. PHOTO: REUTERS Taiwanese officials expected a less severe reaction to the McCarthy meeting, given that it took place in the United States, but said they could not rule out the possibility of China staging more drills.

Chinas announcement came hours after French President Emmanuel Macron left China, where he met President Xi Jinping and other senior leaders. Mr Macron urged Beijing to talk sense to Russia over the war in Ukraine.

European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen, also in China this week to meet Mr Xi, said stability in the Taiwan Strait is of paramount importance.

Mr Xi responded by saying that expecting China to compromise on Taiwan is wishful thinking, according to Chinas official reading of the meeting.

Chinas Defence Ministry, as well as carrying the announcement of the drills around Taiwan, showed pictures on its home page of Mr Xi meeting Mr Macron and Ms von der Leyen.

The Taiwan security source said Chinas recent efforts to charm foreign leaders are in vain after the announcement of the drills.

Upon the announcement of drills in the strait, all those efforts have vanished overnight and become a wasted effort. REUTERS More On This Topic Taiwan faces choice of 'peace and war', ex-president Ma Ying-jeou says after China trip China to inspect ships in Taiwan Strait, Taiwan says it won't cooperate