China begins large military exercises around Taiwan after new president sworn in

China launched new military exercises around Taiwan, scrambling jets and sending ships out for patrols just days after the self-governing island nation swore in a new pro-U.S. president who Beijing criticized for escalating tensions in his inaugural address.

The military drills, code-named Joint Sword 2024A, will run from Thursday to Friday, according to state-run Chinese news agency Xinhua. The exercises involve the Army, Navy, Air Force and the Rocket Force, which is involved with nuclear and conventional missile management for the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

A PLA spokesperson said the drills will involve ships and aircraft around Taiwan and the Taiwan Strait.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a press briefing Thursday that Beijing was seeking to “strongly punish” the “separatist forces.”

“All Taiwan independence separatist acts will be hit head-on by more than 1.4 billion Chinese people, and all Taiwan independence separatist forces will be hit hard in the face of the historical trend of China’s complete reunification,” Wang said, per Xinhua.

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense condemned the new exercises as “jeopardizing peace and stability.”

“We seek no conflicts, but we will not shy away from one. We have the confidence to safeguard our national security,” the ministry wrote on social media platform X.

Taiwan’s new president, Lai Ching-te, campaigned on closer relations with the U.S., with his January victory dealing a major blow to Beijing.

The U.S. has unofficial relations with Taiwan but supports the nation with arms and has congratulated Lai on his victory.

Though his ruling government is closer to Washington, Lai is advocating to maintain the status quo of Taiwan, which means not calling for independence.

In his Monday inauguration speech, Lai hailed that the island nation “is a sovereign, independent nation in which sovereignty lies in the hands of the people.”

“The future of cross-strait relations will have a decisive impact on the world,” he said. “This means that we, who have inherited a democratic Taiwan, are pilots for peace. Our government will uphold the Four Commitments, neither yield nor provoke, and maintain the status quo.”

He also called for China to “cease their political and military intimidation against Taiwan.”

China condemned the speech and called it a confession of Taiwanese independence.