China's military exercises in Taiwan Strait turn coastal town into tourist spot

China's military exercises in the Taiwan Strait have attracted tourists to a coastal town, hoping to witness the scene of exercises.

China dispatched navy ships and warplanes and launched missiles into the Taiwan Strait after U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, which China regards as its own territory to be annexed by force if necessary.

On the Chinese coast across from Taiwan, tourists gathered Friday to try to catch a glimpse of any military aircraft heading toward the exercise area.

Fighter jets could be heard flying overhead in Pingtan, a popular scenic spot 125 kilometers from Taiwan, the closest on China's mainland.

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People enjoyed the views from Pingtan island as ships sailed by in the nearby waters of the Taiwan Strait, when a Chinese military jet was seen flying over the town.

"Indeed China is a powerful country and it will not allow anyone to offend its own territory," said Liu Bolin, a high school student who is visiting Pingtan with his mother Zheng Zhidan.

The exercises are due to run from Thursday to Sunday and could be the largest held near Taiwan in geographical terms, experts have said.