Taiwan expects Chinese military drills on its national holiday on October 10. The People’s Republic could use the upcoming speech by Taiwanese President William Lai Ching-te as a pretext to exert pressure on the island. China in May launched „punishment“ drills around Taiwan shortly after Lai’s inauguration, in what Beijing said was a response to „separatist acts,„ sending up heavily armed warplanes and staging mock attacks as state media denounced newly inaugurated Lai.