Beijing has begun military exercises near Taiwan as US lawmaker Nancy Pelosi began her controversial tour of Asia.

China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has begun military exercises off the coast of Fujian province, which lies between the mainland and Taiwan. China publicly announced the military drills amid rising tensions with Washington over the self-governing island.

Xinhua news agency reported that the military exercise was held near the Pingtan Islands off the coast of Fujian from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Saturday.

Chinese President Xi Jinping also reportedly warned US President Joe Biden by telephone on Thursday that Beijing would not tolerate “external interference” in China’s dealings with Taiwan.