Taiwan stages live military drills to deter China

Taiwan staged its biggest live-fire army drills in about 20 years on Thursday, showcasing latest weaponry designed to combat a potential Chinese attack as Beijing builds its military might. More than 13,000 soldiers took part in the exercise, which saw U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets screaming across the sky and tanks firing from a beach at targets floating on the sea. Paratroopers posing as Chinese communist soldiers floated to the ground, simulating an airborne assault against key installations on the island. "Across the Strait, China has always been the biggest national security threat to the Republic of China, Taiwan, for the past half a century," said the island's independence-leaning president, Chen Shui-bian.