China announces 'punishment' drills around Taiwan after inauguration of new president

China has announced the immediate start of two days of military drills surrounding Taiwan, as "punishment" for what it called the "separatist acts" of holding an election and inaugurating a new president. In response, Taiwan said sea, air and ground forces had been put on alert, and accused China of "irrational provocation and disruption of regional peace and stability". The drills are the first substantive response from China to the inauguration of Lai Ching-te as Taiwan's fifth president on Monday, after winning the democratic election in January. Both Lai and his predecessor, Tsai Ing-wen are from the pro-sovereignty Democratic Progressive…