By Staff, Agencies

China kicked off a second day of live-fire drills around Taiwan on Tuesday, aimed at simulating a blockade of the self-ruled island's key ports and assaults on maritime targets.

The two-day war games, code-named "Justice Mission 2025", started on Monday and were slammed by Taipei as "military intimidation" by Beijing.

China claims Taiwan as part of its sovereign territory and has refused to rule out using military action to seize the island democracy.

AFP journalists in Pingtan, a Chinese island closest to Taiwan, saw at least 10 rockets launched seconds apart on Tuesday morning, leaving white smoke trails and booming sounds, as tourists snapped photos and videos from nearby barricades.

Shortly after, the People's Liberation Army [PLA] said in a statement: "At 9am, December 30, the ground forces of the PLA Eastern Theater Command conducted long-range live fire drills in the waters to the north of the Taiwan Island and achieved desired effects."

The latest show of force follows a bumper round of arms sales to Taipei by the United States – Taiwan's main security backer – and comments from Japan's prime minister that the use of force against Taiwan could warrant a military response from Tokyo.

Beijing warned on Monday that "external forces" arming Taipei would "push the Taiwan Strait into a perilous situation of imminent war", but did not mention any countries by name.

Foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian on Monday said any attempts to stop China's unification with Taiwan were "doomed to fail".

China said it had deployed destroyers, frigates, fighters, and bombers to conduct drills including simulated strikes, maritime assaults, and anti-air and anti-submarine operations, testing sea-air coordination and blockade capabilities.

Military spokesman Shi Yi described the exercises as a “stern warning against 'Taiwan Independence' separatist forces,” while state media reported a core focus on blockading key Taiwanese ports like Keelung and Kaohsiung.

Chinese authorities published a map of five large zones around Taiwan where the war games would take place. They are due to finish at 6pm [10:00 GMT] on Tuesday.

Taiwan said China's designated exercise zones, some of which are within 12 nautical miles of its coast, have affected international shipping and aviation routes.

The island's government condemned China's "disregard for international norms and the use of military intimidation to threaten neighboring countries", Presidential Office spokeswoman Karen Kuo said.

Taiwan’s Defence ministry reported detecting 130 Chinese aircraft, 14 navy ships, and eight other government vessels near the island in 24 hours, calling China’s drills “further proof of its aggression and the greatest threat to peace.”

Beijing’s military released a poster for Tuesday’s drills showing tattooed arms wielding hammers over northern and southern Taiwan.

AFP reporters in Pingtan saw fighter jets and a military vessel, while China said it would take “resolute and forceful measures” after Taiwan announced a US-approved $11 billion arms sale; large-scale live-fire drills around Taiwan were last held in April.