Trending The spokesperson added: "We see no reason why tensions over Taiwan need to lead to anything like confrontation". China claims Taiwan as a breakaway province, but Taipei has been an independent nation since the closing of the Chinese civil war in 1949. Since that date, when the Chinese nationalists fled to Taiwan the island has had its own constitution, military, and more recently, its own elected leaders. A formal declaration of independence from Taipei would be seen as a challenge to Xi Jinping's leadership and many analysts fear he would be compelled to act militarily. On Thursday, Chinese defence ministry spokesman Wu Qian said China's military drills off the coast of Taiwan were "necessary actions to address the current security situation in the Taiwan Strait".