Beijing has unveiled a new tactic on Taiwan, the democratic island it claims as its own, officials and experts say: large-scale drills with no fanfare to normalise a heightened military presence and let the U.

China's military kept silent Friday on its large deployment of naval and coast guard ships off Taiwan this week, with its top spokesperson quoting an ancient strategist instead. Taiwanese officials have said that China was simulating a blockade with one string of ships off the island and a second one farther out at sea,

Taiwan says Beijing has removed nine coastguard ships from around the island’s waters, possibly signalling the end of its latest round of drills