China building capacity to rapidly strike Taiwan, says Taiwanese official

China is building its capacity to rapidly turn military drills into a full-out attack, a senior Taiwanese security official said, providing the Taipei government's assessment of the strategic intent behind Beijing's war games around the island this week.

China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, staged large-scale drills on Oct 14 that it said were a warning to "separatist acts" following last week's National Day speech by Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te.

Taiwan has for the past five years complained of almost daily Chinese military activities around the island, including at least four rounds of major war games and regular "joint combat readiness patrols".

"They are increasing the building up of their capacity to turn military exercises into a conflict," the official said at a briefing in Taipei, requesting anonymity to be able to speak more frankly.