Taiwan ups alertness after detecting test-firing by China's missile unit

Taiwan's Defence Ministry said Saturday it was monitoring waves of test-firing by China's missile unit in a region more than 1,600 kilometres (1,000 miles) from the self-ruled island and that its air force stepped up its alertness.

China views the democratic island as a breakaway province that should be reunified with the mainland.

According to Taiwan's military news agency, the ministry had detected multiple waves of test-firing operations by China's Rocket Force in Inner Mongolia on Saturday. It did not give details on the tests taken by the force, which takes charge of China's arsenal of missiles.

It is not immediately clear whether the tests were related to China's harassment of Taiwan. In recent years, China has ramped up its military activities around the island, which is ruled by the Democratic Progressive Party.

In May, Taiwan's newly elected President Lai Ching-te said in his inauguration speech that he wants peace with China and urged it to stop its military threats and .