A Chinese military helicopter by Pingtan Island across the Taiwan Strait from Taiwan (AFP)

Chinese forces fired "multiple" ballistic missiles into waters around Taiwan during Thursday's military drills, according to Taipei's defense ministry, which condemned what it described as "irrational actions that undermine regional peace."

"The Ministry of National Defense stated that the Chinese Communist Party fired multiple Dongfeng series ballistic missiles into the surrounding waters of northeastern and southwestern Taiwan from approximately 13:56 this afternoon," the defense ministry said in a brief statement.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said, on Thursday, that the Chinese military drills off the coast of Taiwan were a warning to separatists but will not harm those who oppose the island's independence.

"China's actions are a warning to provocateurs and are directed against the pro-Taiwan independence separatist forces, our military operations have nothing to do with those who do not support Taiwan independence and will not harm them in any way," the spokesperson added.

Taiwan's military has not confirmed where the missiles landed or whether they flew over the island.

The People's Liberation Army of China also confirmed the launch of missiles.

On his account, the spokesperson of the Eastern Theater Command Senior Colonel Shi Yi said Chinese forces had launched "a multi-regional and multi-model conventional missile firepower assault on predetermined waters off the eastern part of Taiwan Island".

"All the missiles hit the target accurately, testing the strike precision and area denial capabilities," Colonel Shi added.

China's largest-ever military exercises encircling Taiwan kicked off Thursday, after a visit to the island by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

The exercises will take place in various zones throughout Taiwan, including some within 20 kilometers (12 miles) of the island's shore, and will conclude at midday on Sunday.

The drills include the “use of advanced weapons,” including state-of-the-art hypersonic DF-17 missiles, as per China’s Global Times newspaper.

Chinese J-20 stealth fighter jets will be also used in the exercise.

The drills were described as "unprecedented," with Chinese missiles expected to "fly over the island of Taiwan for the first time," according to the Global Times.

On its account, Taiwan's military said Thursday that its forces were closely monitoring unprecedented Chinese drills in waters surrounding the island, claiming that it was ready for conflict but would not seek it.

Meanwhile, the US Navy reported this morning that the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan was conducting routine operations in the Philippine Sea in the Western Pacific, a 5.7 million square kilometer (2.2 million square miles) stretch of ocean that includes waters southeast of Taiwan.

It is noteworthy that US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi left Taiwan on Wednesday after a controversial visit during which she met with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and a number of officials in Taipei, leading to further escalation of tensions between Washington and Beijing.