Taiwan’s Defense Ministry says an unusually large number of Chinese military ships, planes and drones entered airspace and waters surrounding the self-governing island republic between Sunday and Mond

Beijing said the drills were in response to recent statements and actions by the U.S. and others regarding the self-governing island it claims sovereignty over.

China held what it said were new “military exercises” around Taiwan, linking them to recent US moves backing the self-ruled archipelago and the actions of what it called independence forces.