China has begun live-fire military exercises in six zones around Taiwan, Chinese state media reports..

It is noted that the exercises will continue until noon on August 7. The PRC said that six main areas around the island were selected for military exercises and during this period all ships and aircraft should not enter the corresponding sea areas and airspace..

Six distinct zones surround the island, overlapping Taiwan's territorial waters in places.. Some are also very close to key ports, and the island's authorities have accused the Chinese army of a de facto blockade..

Taiwan's Ministry of Defense said its military is "

“We are not looking for any escalation, but we are not backing down when it comes to our security and sovereignty,” the ministry said..

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Earlier, the Chinese Foreign Ministry explained the military exercises against the background of the visit of the speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan. China says its military exercises around the Taiwan Strait were "

Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, which should point out winners and losers in the urgency of events, left those seats vacant. Why? Read the article by Natalia Butyrskaya "