China on Monday reacted to US “grave concern” over large-scale military drills around Taiwan, calling on Washington to abandon support to “independence forces” on the island nation, state media reported.

“Taiwan is a part of China and that the Taiwan question is an internal affair of China that allows no foreign interference,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters in Beijing.

“If US genuinely cares about peace and stability in Taiwan Straits, it should adhere to one-China principle,” said Mao, responding to “concern” expressed by Washington after Chinese military launched joint drills around Taiwan.

The Chinese army announced the launch of large-scale drills around Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its breakaway province, second such exercises since May when President William Lai Ching-te was inaugurated.

According to the Chinese military, the exercises around areas to the north, south and east of the island nation focused on improving sea-air combat readiness, blocking key ports, targeting land and sea objectives, and gaining comprehensive battlefield control.

The drills, conducted by troops of army, navy, air force and rocket force, served as a “strong deterrent to activities related to Taiwan independence" and was necessary to protect Beijing's "national sovereignty and national unity,” said the PLA Eastern Command.

However, the US voiced grave concern over the drills held days after the island's President Lai Ching-te said Beijing had "no right" to represent Taiwan.

The US is “seriously concerned by the People’s Liberation Army joint military drills in the Taiwan Strait and around Taiwan," said State Department spokesman Matthew Miller, referring to the Chinese military.

But Mao retorted: “(The) US should not to support ‘Taiwan independence,’ stop arming Taiwan, and cease sending any wrong signals to the ‘Taiwan independence separatist forces’.”

Beijing held similar drills in August 2022 after the then-US House speaker Nancy Pelosi paid an unannounced trip to Taiwan.​​​​​​​