Relevant parties should not "over-interpret" military exercises, said China's defense ministry. The war games come days ahead of the new Taiwanese president's inauguration, who may break with the "one China" principle.
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China's defense ministry on Wednesday dismissed reports that military drills off its southeast coast were directed at any targets.
"It is routine arrangement to execute military drills in the southeast of China according to annual training plans, and these drills are not aimed at any specific target," the Chinese defense ministry said in a statement.
The ministry added that the war games, which included drills conducted by its army, navy and air force, were "designed to test and improve troops' capabilities of dealing with security threats."
"Relevant parties shouldn't over-interpret such activities," the defense ministry's press office said.
'One China' under threat?
However, the drills come as Taiwan is set to inaugurate President-elect Tsai Ing-wen of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) on Friday.
The DPP is expected to break with the former ruling Chinese Nationalist Party's (KMT) "one China" principle that recognizes a single China between Taiwan and the mainland People's Republic of China, according to local media reports.
The principle, also known as the "1992 consensus," is cited as a key factor to thawing relations between Beijing and Taipei.
According to the Taiwan Thinktank survey, 54.3 percent of respondents believed the president-elect should not acknowledge the "one China" principles in her inauguration speech, reported the Taipei Times.
The Chinese civil war of the 20th century effectively resulted in two de facto states, namely the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China based in Taiwan.
China & Taiwan's 70 year cold war
In the first summit between the two countries in six decades, China and Taiwan's top leaders held talks in Singapore on Saturday. Taiwan broke away from China following the 1945-9 Chinese civil war.
Image: AFP/Getty Images/R. Beck
Animosity has lasted nearly seven decades
China and Taiwan split in 1949 following the rise of Communist revolutionary leader Mao Zedong. China's nationalist President Chiang Kai-shek fled to Taiwan - which was then a backwater island.
In 1949, Chiang Kai-shek established a "provisional" Republic of China capital in Taipei. Post-war economic conditions caused severe inflation which left the island's tiny population impoverished for many years.
Image: Getty Images/T. Lions
Taiwan prospers without the motherland
Over the past six decades, Taiwan has experienced rapid industrialization and economic growth, becoming known as one of the "Four Asian Tigers."
Image: AP
Rise of China
In the past 30 years, China has brushed off Communism in all but name, rising to become the world's second largest economy by nominal GDP. China insists Taiwan is part of its territory. But Taiwan maintains it is a sovereign state and a democracy.
Image: Getty Images
US arms sales
In 2011, Taiwan upgraded its F-16 fighter fleet at a cost of $.5.3 billion (4.9 billion euros). China denounced the sale of arms from the US, warning at the time that it would damage Sino-American military and security ties.
Image: AP
South China Sea diputes
Taiwan and China are currently locked in territorial disputes over the South China Sea. China's claims over most of area, along with its massive land reclamation projects in the Spratly islands, have annoyed much of the rest of Asia.
Image: Reuters/U.S. Navy
'We are one family'
Chinese President Xi Jinping hailed the relations between Beijing and Taipei, saying that "we are brothers...still connected by our flesh even if our bones are broken." In response, Ma called on China to respect Taiwan's democracy.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/R. Rahman
Protesters not convinced by China's overtures
In the Taiwanese capital, Taipei, about 500 people took to the streets to protest against the meeting between the two leaders. Many are skeptical as to whether ties with China will allow the territory's democracy to be maintained.
