Taiwan's military is running a large live-fire missile exercise this week, a sign of rising pressure from China and of the island's push to prove its new weapons work.

• Three days of joint live-fire drills start on the 16th at the Jiupeng base in southern Taiwan.
• Fighter jets, Patriot and Sky Bow air-defense missiles, and Hsiung Feng anti-ship missiles will all fire.
• The army will test HIMARS rocket launchers and ALTIUS 600M attack drones for the first time in this drill series.
• A retired navy ship will be used as a floating target and likely sunk.
• Three sea zones east of Taitung and Pingtung are closed off during the exercise.

Outlook: Expect Beijing to respond with more military activity around Taiwan, and expect Taiwan to keep expanding drone and long-range strike testing.