The flag of Taiwan during a military exercise by the Taiwan Navy. File photoBEIJING, Aug 4Taiwan military on Thursday night spotted three sorties of four drones near the islands of Leyu and Beiding in the Taiwan Strait, warning flares were fired at them, Kinmen Defense Command said on Thursday .The Taiwanese military fired flares and were on alert in accordance with standard operating procedures to warn the drone to leave the area, the command said. />Japan reported Chinese ballistic missiles flying over TaiwanWho owned the drones was not specified. The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Thursday began large-scale live-fire military exercises in six areas around Taiwan after a visit to the island by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi 2 -August 3rd. The exercise will end at noon on August 7. Pelosi's visit was the first visit by a US House speaker to Taiwan since 1997, making her the highest-ranking US official to visit the island in 25 years. The US administration, which was warned by the Chinese leader that «playing with fire risks getting burned,» assured Beijing of its commitment to the «one China» policy, but distanced itself from the visit, saying that the speaker makes decisions herself. As a result, the visit became the impetus for a new round of tension in the Taiwan Strait. In addition to announcing the start of military exercises from August 4 to 7, Beijing imposed sanctions on two Taiwanese funds, suspended the export of natural sand to the island and the import of citrus fruits and certain types of fish products from Taiwan, and the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that China intends to take decisive and tough measures. , and also made it clear that all the negative consequences of the visit, which Beijing had opposed for several months, are yet to come, and Washington and Taipei will bear responsibility for them. jpg» />The Chinese Armed Forces sent 22 aircraft to the Taiwan Air Defense Identification Zone
