TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – China conducted live-fire drills in the East China Sea Tuesday, the second day of large-scale military maneuvers in the waters surrounding Taiwan, the Ministry of National Defense said Wednesday.

In the early evening, China’s state-run media said the “Strait Thunder-2025A” exercises had been completed, CNA reported. At a news conference Wednesday afternoon, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said it had prepared to respond to any Chinese actions, but the People’s Liberation Army did not conduct any live-fire drills closer to Taiwan.

Beijing announced aircraft and ships would be barred from an area of 270 kilometers by 40 km during the drills. The defense ministry monitored the proceedings, but did not reveal the type of missiles fired by China, per CNA. 

The name of the exercises was only announced Wednesday morning, on the second day. The drills included the identification of vessels and the expulsion, interception, and detention of ships.

Taiwan’s military reported monitoring 13 Chinese Navy ships, 10 coast guard vessels, and eight ships as part of the Shandong aircraft carrier group. In the air, the Chinese deployed 27 military aircraft, helicopters, and drones, including 11 crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait.

The Shandong operated at a distance of 400 km from Taiwan on Tuesday and approached to 350 km on Wednesday, the ministry said. While passing south of Taiwan, it had not entered the 24-nautical-mile zone (27.6 km), but the military nevertheless monitored its movements from start to finish.

At its new conference, the ministry also provided details about the Han Kuang 41 exercises it was planning for this year. The tabletop computer simulations will take an unprecedented 14 days in April, while the unscripted live-fire part has been scheduled for 10 days in July, per UDN.