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 staged military drills off Taiwan's north, south and east coasts on Tuesday as a "stern warning" against separatism and called Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te a "parasite," as Taiwan sent warships to respond to China's navy approaching its shores.

Chinese and US defense officials had their first known formal contact since Donald Trump returned to the White House, in a meeting that partially coincided with Beijing conducting large-scale military drills around Taiwan.

China has responded to Donald Trump’s new trade tariffs with its own charges on US imports. After Trump announced the imposition of an additional 34 percent charge on Chinese imports into the US, China has announced a levy at the same rate for US goods shipped to China.

China will impose 34% tariffs on all U.S. goods, the nation's finance minister said on Friday, news agencies repored. Why it matters: It's a steep escalation in the U.S-China trade war, following President Trump's reciprocal tariffs on one of America's largest trading partners.