Taipei, Jan. 1 -- China's latest round of large-scale military drills surrounding Taiwan has drawn sharp international criticism, with governments and lawmakers warning that China's actions risk destabilising the Indo-Pacific and escalating regional tensions. The two-day exercise, which concluded on December 31, involved extensive naval and air deployments and was widely seen as a show of force aimed at pressuring the self-governed island, as reported by The Epoch Times.

According to The Epoch Times, the European Union, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and the Philippines all voiced serious concern over the drills. In a statement, the European External Action Service stressed that peace and stability in...