Taipei:  Taiwan's Defence Ministry said on Saturday that 46 Chinese military aircraft crossed the midline of the Taiwan Strait on Friday during what China called "punishment" exercises around the island.China on Friday held a second day of "punishment" drills in response to remarks by Taiwan's new President Lai Ching-te.At the same time, some residents of the democratically ruled island told Reuters that they would continue to live their lives as normal despite pressure from Beijing.

Common citizens do not fear China

According to Taiwanese media, China carried out simulated missile attacks in Taiwan's eastern waters and sent fighter jets with live missiles. Beijing conducted this drill to test its ability to take control and occupy key areas of Taiwan, but life continues as normal on the island of 23 million people.

Taiwanese have no visible signs of concern, having gotten used to living with Chinese threats for decades. China's military exercises don't really affect our daily lives. We still have to work to earn money,'' one Taiwanese citizen said.

China warns America

China on Friday warned the US that efforts towards Taiwan independence are a "dead end" and will only backfire, after an unnamed US official urged Beijing to exercise restraint over the cross-strait situation. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a regular media briefing on Friday,

For those who are involved in 'Taiwan independence', it will be a dead end and supporting Taiwan independence will only backfire.

Beijing considers Taiwan part of its territory and has threatened to use force to take control of it. Wenbin reiterated that Taiwan's independence efforts are doomed to fail.

Furthermore, in response to a question about military exercises around Taiwan and US official comments, Wang Wenbin said that 'Taiwan is China's Taiwan' and stressed that it is not the US' job to make such comments.