China could find a "pretext" to stage new war games around Taiwan this year, coinciding with sensitive dates such as the anniversary in May of a year since President Lai Ching-te took office, a senior Taiwan coast guard official said.

The Chinese military staged a second day of exercises around Taiwan on Wednesday, launching live-fire strikes in the East China Sea and practicing blockade operations near crucial shipping lanes to the east and west of the island.

China conducted military drills around Taiwan for a second day Wednesday, focusing on the Taiwan Strait — a crucial conduit for international trade separating the self-governing island democracy from China.

The People's Liberation Army said Wednesday it had carried out live-fire strikes on targets simulating Taiwanese infrastructure.

China's military concluded two-day war games around Taiwan in which it held long-range, live-fire drills in the East China Sea, marking an escalation of exercises around the island.

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said on Wednesday ahead of an announcement of sweeping import tariffs by the United States that the island is an "indispensable" member of the global supply chain and it would defend its companies' interests.

A military aircraft is seen on a giant screen showing news footage about joint army, navy, air and rocket forces drills around Taiwan by the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), outside a shopping mall in Beijing,

One analyst called China’s large-scale drills a “pre-invasion operation” as it ramps up attacks on Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, calling him a “parasite.”

China, which views democratically-governed Taiwan as its own territory, regularly holds exercises around the island, including one begun on Tuesday it said was to "serve as a stern warning and powerful deterrent against Taiwanese independence".