China's drills against Taiwan likely 'preordained' with 'room to escalate'

TAIPEI -- China's military exercises on Thursday and Friday were only the latest step in a monthslong effort to build pressure on Taiwan's new President Lai Ching-te, analysts said, as Beijing's forces practiced mock missile attacks and other operations.

The People's Liberation Army drills were "preordained, in that although Beijing is depicting them as a necessary reaction to President Lai's comments during his inauguration, the Chinese leadership was always going to find something that displeases it and therefore 'compels' it to react," said Taipei-based security analyst J. Michael Cole.