The Chinese military staged a second day of exercises around Taiwan on Wednesday, launching live-fire strikes in the East China Sea and practicing blockade operations near crucial shipping lanes to the east and west of the island.

China has conducted military drills around Taiwan for a second day focusing on the Taiwan Strait separating the self-governing island democracy from China that is a crucial conduit for international trade.

China's military conducted a live-fire exercise in the Taiwan Strait to simulate strikes on key ports and energy facilities, it said on Wednesday. The exercise, codenamed "Strait Thunder", is an escalation of military drills China held on Tuesday around Taiwan,