China holds biggest military drills in a year around Taiwan since new President Lai Ching-te elected

China held its most expansive military drills in a year around Taiwan, just days after Lai Ching-te took over as the island's new president. The drills on Thursday were intended to "serve as a strong punishment for the separatist acts of 'Taiwan independence' forces and a stern warning against the interference and provocation by external forces,” the official Xinhua News Agency reported, citing a military spokesman. The "external references” line is likely a reference to the US, which is Taiwan's main military backer. President Joe Biden has repeatedly said the US would defend the democracy of 23 million people if…