Chinese state television on Saturday (April 8) aired footage of military exercises around Taiwan.

Reuters could not independently verify where and when on Saturday the drills were held on the first day of planned three-day drills.

The People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theatre Command said it had 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 Taiwan "as planned."

China is holding the drills to express anger at Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen's meeting with the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. Taiwan's defence ministry said it would respond calmly. The drills, announced the day after Tsai returned from the United States, had been widely expected after China condemned the meeting with Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles.

China views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control. Taiwan's government strongly objects to China's claims.

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