Taiwan's defence ministry on Thursday detailed a surge in Chinese military activity as Beijing wrapped up a second day of war games overnight Wednesday, saying it had detected 59 warplanes and 23 navy ships operating around the island.

China's military concluded two-day war games around Taiwan in which it held long-range, live-fire drills in the East China Sea, marking an escalation of exercises around the island.

The United States doubled down on its decades-old support for Taiwan as China flexed its muscles with a second day of large-scale military exercises around Taiwan, including live-fire drills.

China's military on Wednesday launched military exercises code-named "Strait Thunder-2025A" in the middle and southern areas of the Taiwan Strait, continuing drills begun the previous day. A senior Taiwan security official told Reuters there were more than 10 Chinese warships in Taiwan's "response zone" on Wednesday morning,

China has kicked off large-scale military and coastguard exercises around Taiwan, the latest round in Beijing’s escalating campaign to assert its claims of sovereignty and suppress the island nation’s efforts to preserve its de facto independence.

Taiwan's defence ministry said on Wednesday that in the previous 24 hours it had detected 76 Chinese military aircraft and 15 Chinese military ships operating around Taiwan.

Britain on Wednesday joined the U.S., European Union and Japan in expressing concern over Chinese military exercises around Taiwan, calling for restraint and to avoid actions that undermine peace in the region.

Taiwan Navy ships patrol Keelung harbour as China stages military drills in the Taiwan Strait China's military conducted a live-fire exercise in the Taiwan Strait to simulate strikes on key ports and energy facilities,

The Chinese military staged a second day of exercises around Taiwan on Wednesday, launching live-fire strikes in the East China Sea and practicing blockade operations near crucial shipping lanes to the east and west of the island.