China ends military drills near Taiwan

China said late on Friday that it had completed two days of military drills around Taiwan that have been widely seen as a further bid to intimidate the democratically governed island and its allies.

Beijing, which sees Taiwan as part of its territory, said the drills were a “punishment” for the recent inauguration speech by the island’s new president, Lai Ching-te, an address denounced by China as a “confession of independence.”

Taipei has slammed the military exercises, calling them a…