Wealthy, democratic and strategically located off the Chinese coast, Taiwan has long been the most volatile issue between the US and China. Washington and Beijing have avoided serious conflict by leaving unsettled the question of who actually owns the island.

China said its day of war games around democratically governed Taiwan on Monday was a warning against "separatist acts" and threatened more could be in the offing, drawing condemnation from the governments of Taiwan and the United States.

Beijing says the exercise involved all parts of the military and simulates a full-scale attack on its neighbour.