China’s military conducted aerial and naval blockade maneuvers around Taiwan on Monday, its penultimate planned day, with a Chinese aircraft carrier joining combat patrols as Taipei reported another warplane influx near the island.

China announced the three-day drills on Saturday after Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen returned to Taipei after a meeting with U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles.

China has never given up using force to annex democratic Taiwan. Taiwan’s government denounces China’s allegations and drills.

China state television reported “multi-directional island-encompasing blockade situation” drills by warships and planes, including nuclear-capable H-6 bombers with real missiles.

The report stated, “In the Taiwan Strait, the northwest and southwest of Taiwan, and the waters east of Taiwan (Chinese forces) took the initiative to attack, giving full play to their performance advantages, flexibly manoeuvring to seize favourable positions, and advancing at high speed to deter opponents.”

According to the Eastern Theatre Command of the People’s Liberation Army, Fighters took off from the Shandong’s deck.

Taiwan has tracked the Shandong in the Pacific Ocean since last week.

Taiwan’s defense ministry issued a map on Monday showing four carrier-based Chinese J-15 fighters over the Pacific Ocean to Taiwan’s east.

The government reported that the Shandong carrier group was drilling in the Western Pacific and that 59 military planes and 11 ships had been detected approaching Taiwan by midday on Monday.

On Sunday, the Shandong flew near Japan’s Okinawan islands.

The defense ministry said the carrier, three destroyers, and a support vessel came within 230 kilometers (143 miles) of Japan’s Miyako island between Friday and Sunday, with jet fighters and helicopters taking off and landing 120 times.

“With great curiosity,” a top government spokeswoman said Monday, Japan has been watching China’s military operations surrounding Taiwan.

Given southern Japan’s proximity to Taiwan, China’s military operations have long alarmed Japan.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are vital to Japan’s security and the international community.

During war simulations, China launched missiles into Japan’s exclusive economic zone in August to protest then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei. Okinawa has a large U.S. air force station.

The U.S. says it is likewise monitoring China’s drills. China’s military practiced precise attacks on Taiwan on Sunday.

Monday’s Eastern Theatre Command WeChat video showed an H-6 bomber flying north of Taiwan.

The cockpit footage indicates, “The missiles are in fine shape.”

“Start the fire control radar, lock on the target,” another voice adds, displaying a missile under the aircraft’s wing.

The pilot then presses the fire control button for a simulated attack, but no missiles are fired.

Taiwan’s military has pledged to respond calmly to China’s drills.

On Monday, the defense ministry posted photos of Hsiung Feng anti-ship missile launchers at an unidentified site and missile-armed swift attack boats at sea.

On Monday, Reuters reporters visited Cape Maobitou Park in Pingtung County on Taiwan’s southern edge and observed Hsiung Feng launchers at a picturesque spot while troops guarded and visitors watched.

Civilian flights have proceeded in Taiwan without fear or inconvenience.

“Most regular people undoubtedly aren’t worried, with the major reason being that everyone feels China would absolutely not launch a war,” said retired soldier Tang Pao-Hsiung, 78.

Despite the tensions, Taiwan’s benchmark index (.TWII) rose 0.2% early Monday afternoon.