China held military exercises around Taiwan involving the most naval vessels in nearly a year — a move that comes right after the US vowed to deter Beijing’s aggression in the region.

China's military on Tuesday said it had begun joint army, navy and rocket force exercises around Taiwan to "serve as a stern warning and powerful deterrent against Taiwanese independence", calling Taiwan's President Lai Ching-Te a "parasite".

Beijing said the exercises were intended to "serve as a stern warning and powerful deterrent against Taiwanese independence", and called the self-governed island's president a "parasite".