China's launches drills around Taiwan to "severely punish" the island's pro-independence leader, as the U.S. boosts its war footing in Japan to deter Chinese "aggression."

Following Japan's condemnation of China's recent military exercises near Taiwan, the Chinese Foreign Ministry firmly rejected Japan's criticism, stating that it violated the "one-China principle" and emphasised that China's military actions were legitimate and necessary to safeguard national sovereignty.

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.

President Trump held up a chart in the Rose Garden outlining some of the larger tariff rates he will charge some nations. China will be charged a 34% tariff, the chart said, the European Union will get a 20% levy,

By Ben Blanchard TAIPEI (Reuters) -Taiwan said on Thursday that U.S. tariffs levied on the island were unreasonable and it would discuss them with Washington, partly blaming U.S. tech curbs on China in President Donald Trump's first term for driving the trade imbalance.

The Taiwan government on Thursday called newly announced US tariff measures "highly unreasonable," vowing to engage in stern negotiations. Responding to US President Donald Trump's reciprocal tariff policy,