This map from Chinese state media shows the scale of the military exercise involving the army, navy and air force.

Beijing said the drills, thought to be the biggest yet, were a warning to those in Taiwan who want independence.

It's thought to be a reaction to a strident speech by Taiwan's president, Lai Ching-da, who said his government would not accept Chinese control.

China sees Taiwan as a breakaway province, but the island sees itself as distinct and has its own government and military.

Well, a spokesperson for China's foreign ministry said peace and an independent Taiwan were incompatible.

Taiwanese independence and peace in the Taiwan Strait are irreconcilable.

If you are concerned about peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, the first thing you should do is oppose Taiwan independence.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Taiwan's government responded by saying China should face up to the island's existence.

At present, the international community's consensus is to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region.

China should face the fact and the existence of the Republic of China, Taiwan, respects the choice of the Taiwanese people for a democratic and free lifestyle and refrain from military provocations that would jeopardize the peace and stability of the region and threaten Taiwan's democracy and freedom.

Our correspondent in Beijing, Stephen McDonnell, has more on those military exercises.

What's happening is that these exercises are becoming bigger and more frequent and closer to Taiwan.

And what it seems to be this time is a dress rehearsal for a blockade of Taiwan.

Now, I say it seems to be I'm getting that from the PLA itself.

The Chinese military has said that the goal of this exercise is to practice attacking Taiwan from all directions, to take control of key ports, various land masses, while being able to take out other targets at sea.

And in terms of taking out other targets at sea, that could also potentially be relief forces coming from other countries.

Now, the Taiwanese government and Washington have both criticized these drills, saying that Beijing is increasing instability in the region.

But according to the Chinese government, look, this is essentially a rogue province.

And one day it must be unified with the mainland of China.

And so they make no apologies for the pressure they're putting on Taiwan with a view to, I guess, somehow using it, whether it be blockade, whether it be by, you know, full scale military invasion or whatever for that island to reunify with the mainland.

Now, of course, the problem is, though, the more you put threats up like this, the less likely ordinary Taiwanese people are going to be to want to unify with the mainland.

And the other funny thing that seems to be happening in Taipei and the rest of Taiwan, for that matter, is that people are becoming quite blase about it.

As these exercises just keep going on, well, it's just another exercise.

This is the fourth time in two years that mainland China has had a major military war game surrounding Taiwan.

And so if it's meant to intimidate the population there, it's possibly having the opposite effect because everyone's just getting used to it.

And in terms of the Taiwanese military, well, they say it's enabling them to prepare their own defences for any attack should it come from the mainland.

So, you know, who knows if it's going to work?

But and also, I should add that we're not saying that there's going to be some imminent invasion of Taiwan or anything like that.

Stephen McDonald in Beijing.