Taiwan's defence ministry said its military would continue to reinforce its alertness level and would react appropriately.

 

The island's military is closely monitoring the “enemy situation” in the strait and near the outlying islands, and all of its troops are carrying out training exercises daily, as usual, the defence ministry said.

 

The Association of South-East Asian Nations issued a warning on Thursday that volatility caused by tension in the Taiwan Strait could lead to “miscalculation, serious confrontation, open conflicts and unpredictable consequences among major powers”.

 

“Asean stands ready to play a constructive role in facilitating peaceful dialogue between all parties,” the regional bloc said, as it called for maximum restraint and for parties to refrain from provocative action.