Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said that China's military exercises near the Taiwan Strait on Monday was a firm response to external forces deliberately condoning and supporting "Taiwan independence" activities and served as a stern warning to the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces.

Speaking at a daily news briefing on Monday, Mao said the United States has recently taken a series of erroneous actions on the Taiwan question, particularly the modifications made to the so-called US-Taiwan relations page and fact sheet on the US State Department website.

These changes deleted important statements reflecting the one-China principle and non-support for "Taiwan independence," representing a significant regression in the US stance on the Taiwan question, she said.

Such a move was another egregious example by the US to deliberately "use Taiwan to contain China" as well as condone and support "Taiwan independence", sending a serious erroneous signal to the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, she added.

China's relevant military actions are necessary, legitimate, and just measures to defend national sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity, the spokeswoman said.

Emphasizing that the Taiwan question is at the core of China's core interests, she said the one-China principle is the foundation of the political relationship between China and the US.

She urged the US to earnestly abide by the one-China principle and the three joint communiques between China and the US, and fulfill the solemn commitments made by previous US administrations on the Taiwan question.

Washington should cease provocative actions and handle the Taiwan question with extreme caution to avoid causing further serious harm to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and China-US relations, she added.