Taiwan’s presidential office held a “tabletop” exercise on Thursday simulating military escalations by China, a first-of-its-kind drill involving government agencies beyond the armed forces that highlights Taipei’s urgency in ensuring preparedness against an increasingly assertive Beijing.

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence reported the presence of seven Chinese military aircraft and five naval vessels near its territory. China crossed the median line into Taiwan's ADIZ. Japan and NATO expressed concerns about China's military activities and its increasing influence,

Taiwan’s presidential office conducted its first-ever "tabletop" exercises involving government agencies without military participation. The goal was to simulate a military escalation with China amid fresh threats from Beijing,

The Chinese government placed sanctions on seven companies on Friday in response to recent U.S. announcements of military sales and aid to Taiwan, the self-governing island that China claims as part of its territory.

China on Friday slapped sanctions on seven US companies after Washington's approval last week of a $571.3 million military aid package to Taiwan, which Beijing said infringed on its "sovereignty and territory".