China launches surprise military drills around Taiwan

Taiwan says it has detected nearly 20 vessels off its coast as Beijing orders large scale sea and air exercises and calls leaders in Taipei parasites'

China has launched large-scale military drills around Taiwan, accusing its leaders of being separatists" and parasites" who were pushing the democratically run island into war.

The drills, accompanied by a propaganda campaign, were launched without warning on Tuesday morning. China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) said they were a stern warning" to Taiwan's democratically elected government over what Beijing claims is separatist activity.