China has launched a three-day military exercise around Taiwan, dubbed "United Sharp Sword", in response to a meeting between Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen and US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in Taipei last week. The drills are a “serious warning” against the Taiwan separatist forces’ collusion with external forces, and are expected to conclude on Monday. The exercises are seen as a warning to the island’s government and are a necessary move to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity.