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.

China Coast Guard ships are conducting patrols around Taiwan as part of drills near the island, Zhu Anqing, spokesman for the East China Sea Bureau, said.

China staged surprise military exercises in the sea and skies around Taiwan on Tuesday in what the People's Liberation Army said was a "stern warning" to the island's "separatist" government and those