Taiwan accuses China of exaggeration with footage

STORY: Taiwan accused China of exaggerating their claims about military drills on Tuesday (August 16), after the Chinese military published footage of drills near the Penghu islands.

Those islands are strategically located and home to a major Taiwanese air base, and Taipei said it isn't not true Chinese forces had come close to them.

China has carried out military exercises around the island this month after a visit by U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and five U.S. lawmakers, led by Senator Ed Markey, on Sunday (August 14) and Monday (August 15).

China responded to Pelosi's visit with test launches of ballistic missiles over Taipei for the first time.

Beijing considers Taiwan its own territory and not a separate country. Taiwan's government disputes China's claim.

The Chinese military released their alleged Penghu islands video on Monday, apparently taken by the Chinese air force.

However Taiwan’s Air Force Vice Chief of Staff for Operations, Tung Pei-lun, said this was Chinese information warfare adding he had no comment on who had taken the video.

Tung also said that Taiwan had a real-time "grasp" of what was going on in the skies, and that Chinese aircraft have been closer to the north and southwest of Taiwan.

Meanwhile on Tuesday (August 16), China imposed Sanctions on seven Taiwanese officials it accused of being “independence diehards” drawing condemnation from the island.