**BERLIN**
Germany said on Wednesday that it is "very concerned" about China's latest military drills off the coast of Taiwan and that Berlin is closely monitoring the situation as it is another large-scale and massive exercise.
These Chinese military exercises off the coast of Taiwan "increase tensions in the region and naturally affect stability in the Taiwan Strait," Deputy Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Kathrin Deschauer said at a press briefing in Berlin.
"Our goal is peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, which is also of strategic importance for Europe…," she added.
Deschauer urged Beijing not to escalate regional tensions.
“We expect the People's Republic of China to act as a responsible international actor and not to further strain stability and peace in the region through its behavior or to further escalate tensions.”
The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) conducted live-fire drills Wednesday in the middle and southern areas of the Taiwan Strait as part of military exercises around Taiwan.
Codenamed Strait Thunder-2025A, the latest military exercise was conducted a day after China launched large-scale military and coastguard exercises around the island on Tuesday as “a stern warning and a strong deterrent to the separatist forces of Taiwan independence.”
Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council had earlier strongly protested the military drills, saying the exercises "undermine" the status quo and "threaten regional peace and stability."
"We call on the CCP to stop such provocative actions," said the council, addressing the ruling Chinese Communist Party.
China considers Taiwan its "breakaway" province, whereas Taipei insists on its independence.
The exercise reportedly included the deployment of the Shandong aircraft carrier in coordination with Chinese naval and air units. The use of a modular rocket launcher system was also noted as the exercise's highlight.
Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said 76 Chinese military aircraft, including fighter jets, helicopters, and drones, as well as 21 navy ships and four Coast Guard vessels, participated in the exercise.
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