China announced "major" military exercises around Taiwan on Monday amid rising tensions with Japan over the status of the self-governing island that Beijing claims as its territory.

Taiwan's Transport Ministry said more than 100,000 air passengers on scheduled international flights would be affected by the drills on Tuesday.

The maneuvers around Taiwan come after Beijing expressed anger at US arms sales to Taipei and a statement from Japan that its military could get involved if China acted against Taiwan.

While China's military has conducted live-fire drills and practiced port blockades around Taiwan in the past, Monday's announcement was the first time it publicly stated that drills were aimed at "deterrence" of outside military intervention.

What we know about China's latest drills around Taiwan

Taiwan said it detected 89 Chinese military aircraft near its shores – the highest figure in a single day since last year. Some 28 Chinese warships and coastguard vessels were also detected.

Giving details, the Chinese military said the exercises in five large zones around Taiwan would include:

• Joint operations involving China's air force, navy and rocket forces
• Geographic coverage of the Taiwan Strait and four areas around Taiwan
• Sea–air combat readiness patrols
• Preparedness for joint seizure of 'comprehensive superiority' (coordinated dominance across forces)
• Simulated blockades of key Taiwanese ports
• All-dimensional deterrence beyond the island chain
• Use of various aerial military assets: Fighter jets, bombers, drones and long-range rocket forces
• Strikes on mobile ground targets in sea and airspace in the central Taiwan Strait

China's military initially said the military exercises, named "Just Mission 2025," would involve live-fire drills starting on Tuesday. But later on Monday, the military said it had already carried out live-fire drills "on maritime targets to the north and southwest of Taiwan."

"This serves as a serious warning ​to 'Taiwan ​Independence' separatist forces and external interference forces, and it is a legitimate and necessary action to safeguard China's sovereignty and national unity," Shi Yi, a spokesperson for China's Eastern Theater Command, said in a statement. 

How Taiwan reacted to China's drills

Taiwanese President William Lai Ching-te urged China "not to misjudge the situation and become a troublemaker in the region."

"In response to the Chinese authorities' disregard for international norms and the use of military intimidation to threaten neighboring countries, Taiwan expresses its strong condemnation," presidential spokesperson Karen Kuo said in a statement.

Taiwan's Defense Ministry said early Monday that it had detected two Chinese planes and 11 Chinese ships operating around the island in the past 24 hours. The ministry said it had set up a rapid response center and vowed to "protect democracy, freedom, sovereignty and safety" on the island.

"A response center has been established, and appropriate forces have been deployed," the Taiwanese military said, adding that its armed forces "have carried out a rapid response exercise."

Rising tensions between China and Japan

Democratic Taiwan has governed itself for decades but China considers it to be a separatist province and has long vowed to retake it by force if necessary.

Monday's announcement comes after Beijing expressed anger over comments by Japan's new nationalist Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who suggested that any Chinese action against Taiwan could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" — a designation under Japanese law that opens the door to military intervention.

It also comes after the United States announced its largest-ever weapons sale to Taiwan, with a package valued at $11.1 billion (€9.4 billion).

Edited by: Rana Taha, Farah Bahgat