ANKARA

Taiwan on Tuesday held a military drill aimed at repelling an attack from China which claims the island to be a breakaway province.

"The 584th Armored Brigade conducted a drill with the newly formed Combined Arms Battalion in action!," the Ministry of Defense said in a statement with the hashtags #ROCArmedForces and #Protectourcountry.

The Taiwan News website said the soldiers, during the exercise held in Hsinchu’s Hukou Township, “simulated a Chinese attack on Taoyuan International Airport ahead of the Lunar New Year."

"The aim of the exercise was to hone the battalion’s suppressive fire capabilities, battlefield surveillance abilities, and defense skills," it quoted the army as saying. "Soldiers practiced destroying the enemy’s anti-armor weapons, air strike coordination, and armored vehicle offensive maneuvers."

In recent weeks, Taipei has complained of Chinese aircraft flying across the Taiwan Strait, claiming it to be an airspace violation.

Meanwhile, Washington has stepped up support for Taiwan amid worsening ties with Beijing. This includes arms sales, visits by high-ranking officials and an end to restrictions on exchanges between US and Taiwanese officials.

Beijing has said it would sanction US officials "who have behaved badly on Taiwan question."