China began its military drills around Taiwan today, Thursday, August 4, 2022, in the largest exercises ever held around the island, according to the Chinese state television channel (CCTV).

The channel said in a message published on the Weibo social network, "The drills have started."

Beijing is conducting large-scale military exercises starting from this Thursday noon in several areas around Taiwan, at busy trade routes, according to the media.

These drills will take place in a series of areas surrounding Taiwan, some only twenty kilometers from the Taiwanese coast, and will continue until Sunday noon.

The "Global Times" newspaper quoted military analysts as saying the drills will take place on an "unprecedented" scale because missiles will fly over Taiwan for the first time: "This is the first time the Chinese army has fired live ammunition and long-range artillery fire over the Taiwan Strait."

As a precautionary measure to ensure safety, the Chinese maritime security administration has banned ships from entering the relevant exercise areas.

A Chinese military source who requested anonymity told AFP, "If Taiwanese forces deliberately collide (with the Chinese army) and fire a single bullet by accident, (the Chinese army) will respond forcefully, and the Taiwanese side will bear all the consequences."

Beijing affirms that these drills as well as other limited exercises that began in recent days are a "necessary and legitimate measure" following the visit of Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the US House of Representatives, to Taiwan.

Hua Chunying, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, told journalists, "The United States is the provocateur, and China is the victim. China is in a position of legitimate self-defense."

The official China News Agency (Xinhua) stated that the drills aim to simulate a "siege" of the island and include "attacking targets at sea, striking targets on land, and controlling the airspace."