China holds military drills around Taiwan as 'strong punishment'

China has started two days of military exercises around Taiwan, with its military calling them "strong punishment" for the self-ruled island's "separatist acts".

The drills come three days after the inauguration of President William Lai, who called on China to stop threatening the island and accept the existence of its democracy.

China sees Taiwan as a breakaway province that will eventually be under Beijing's control, but the island sees itself as distinct.

Taiwan's defence ministry condemned the Chinese drills as "irrational provocations".