Taiwan says China held shooting drills near island without warning

Taipei slams 'blatant provocation' and dispatches own forces to keep watch

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China's military held "shooting training" on Feb 26 off Taiwan's south-west coast in a move Taipei described as provocative and dangerous, while a senior Chinese leader vowed unswerving efforts to bring the island under Beijing's control.

Democratically governed Taiwan, which China views as its own territory, has repeatedly complained of Chinese military activities, including several rounds of full-scale war games over the past three years.

Taiwan's Defence Ministry said in a statement that from shortly before 9am, it had detected 32 Chinese military aircraft carrying out a "joint combat readiness drill" with Chinese warships in the Taiwan Strait area.

"During this period, it even blatantly violated international practice by setting up a drills area in waters about 40 nautical miles off the coast... without prior warning, claiming that it would carry out 'shooting training," it added.