China rehearses 'sealing off' Taiwan on third day of war games

China has simulated "sealing off" Taiwan during a third day of war games around the self-ruled island, as the United States deployed a naval destroyer into Beijing-claimed waters in a show of force.

After two days of exercises that included simulating targeted strikes on Taiwan and encirclement of the island, the Chinese military said on Monday the war games also included "sealing" it off. 

One of China's two aircraft carriers also "participated in today's exercise," the military said.

China launched the exercises in response to Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen last week meeting US House speaker Kevin McCarthy, an encounter it had warned would provoke a furious response.

The United States, which had repeatedly called for China to show restraint, on Monday sent the guided-missile destroyer the USS Milius through contested parts of the South China Sea.

"This freedom of navigation operation upheld the rights, freedoms, and lawful uses of the sea," the US Navy said in a statement

It added the vessel had passed near the Spratly Islands – an archipelago claimed by China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei. It is about 1,300 kilometres (800 miles) from Taiwan.

The deployment of the Milius immediately triggered more anger from China, which said the vessel had "illegally intruded" into its territorial waters.

Precision strikes

China's war games involved sending planes, ships and personnel into "the maritime areas and air space" around all four sides of Taiwan, the army said of the exercises.

On Beigan island, part of Taiwan's Matsu archipelago that is within eyesight of China's mainland, 60-year-old chef Lin Ke-qiang told AFP he simply did not want war.

"We, common people, just want to live peaceful and stable lives," Lin said, adding Taiwan's military was no match for China's.

"If any war happens, now that their missiles are so advanced, there's no way our side could resist. This side will be levelled to the ground."-

A report from China's state broadcaster CCTV on Sunday said drills had "simulated joint precision strikes against key targets on Taiwan island and surrounding waters", adding that forces "continued to maintain the situation of closely encircling the island".

The air force also deployed dozens of aircraft to "fly into the target airspace", and ground forces had carried out drills for "multi-target precision strikes", the report added.

'No change to the status quo'

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen denounced the drills, which come after she met last week with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy outside Los Angeles on her way home from a visit with two allied countries in Central America. 

She pledged to work with "the US and other like-minded countries" in the face of "continued authoritarian expansionism".

In Washington, a State Department spokesperson said the United States had "consistently urged restraint and no change to the status quo", while the Pentagon said it too was "monitoring events closely".

"There is no reason for Beijing to turn this transit -- which was consistent with longstanding US practice and policy -- into something it is not or use it as pretext to overreact," a Defense Department spokesperson said Sunday, referring to Tsai's stop in California.

The United States has been deliberately ambiguous on whether it would defend Taiwan militarily, although for decades it has sold weapons to Taipei to help ensure its self-defence.

China and Taiwan split at the end of a civil war in 1949. China views democratic Taiwan as part of its territory and has vowed to take it one day, by force if necessary.

READ MORE: China sends warships and aircraft around Taiwan for second day

Live-fire exercises 

Exercises on Monday were due to include live-fire drills off the rocky coast of China's Fujian province, about 80 kilometres (50 miles) south of the Matsu islands and 190 kilometres from Taipei.

"These operations serve as a stern warning against the collusion between separatist forces seeking 'Taiwan independence' and external forces and against their provocative activities," said Shi Yin, a PLA spokesman, said about "Joint Sword".

Taipei's defence ministry said it had detected 11 Chinese warships and 70 aircraft around Taiwan on Sunday.

It said 45 aircraft had crossed the median line separating Taiwan from mainland China on Saturday – the most incursions this year, according to figures maintained by AFP.

Over the weekend there were around 150 detections of Chinese ships or aircraft, including fighter jets, drones, bombers, and transport aircraft, according to the ministry.

In August last year, China deployed warships, missiles and fighter jets around Taiwan in its largest show of force in years following a trip to the island by McCarthy's predecessor, Nancy Pelosi.

READ MORE: China sanctions Reagan library, others over Tsai's US trip