On Thursday, China’s military began a two-day series of live-fire drills in the Taiwan Strait. This move follows a warning from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who emphasized the significance of keeping trade routes open in this crucial maritime zone.

The exercises were announced by China’s maritime safety agency, which designated areas near Dongshan Island for the drills. Dongshan Island is part of Fujian Province, located in eastern China. These activities proceeded after meetings between Rubio and China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Manila.

Rubio had been attending a regional summit in the Philippines. In a press briefing on Wednesday, he stated that discussions with Wang touched upon the sensitive issue of Taiwan. Taiwan, self-governed, is claimed by China as its territory, a claim steadfastly denied by Taipei.

Highlighting the strategic importance of Taiwan as both a significant trade partner of the U.S. and a major supplier of microchips, Rubio criticized China’s military actions in the region. He explained that such maneuvers contradict the strategic stability efforts initiated by former U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in their May summit held in Beijing.

China continues to assert its claim over Taiwan and its surrounding waters by deploying warships and law enforcement vessels for regular patrols. This is part of its strategy to reinforce control in the area.

In a social media post on Thursday, Rubio reiterated, “No nation has the right to restrict the free flow of commerce and travel through international waterways, including in the Taiwan Strait.”

Newsweek has reached out to the foreign ministries of China and Taiwan for comments and is awaiting further updates on the matter.