China says drills near Taiwan 'routine training', rejects 'hype'

BEIJING — Beijing on Thursday rejected "hype" over what it called "routine training" the day after Taiwan said it had sent forces to respond to Chinese live-fire drills off the self-ruled island.

On Thursday, China's defence ministry reiterated that Beijing would not renounce the use of force to achieve unification, in response to US comments that the increase in military exercises could be used to conceal a true attack.

The day before, Taipei's defence ministry said China had deployed 32 aircraft near Taiwan and announced "live-fire exercises" in an area about 74 kilometres off the island's south.

Taiwan's military responded by sending sea, air and land forces to "monitor, alert and respond appropriately", it added.

"These comments from the relevant Taiwan departments regarding the PLA's routine training are pure hype," China's defence ministry said when asked about the drills Thursday, using an acronym for the Chinese military.

"We request that they stop playing this kind of game to attract interest," spokesman Wu Qian told a regular press briefing.