Taiwan held live-fire drills in its northernmost territory on Wednesday, putting the spotlight on a remote island that is strategically located at a chokepoint near China ¡ª and potentially vulnerable to attack.

Although the Defense Ministry says the exercises on Dongyin, part of the Taiwan-controlled Matsu archipelago off the coast of China¡¯s Fuzhou, are routine, they are happening as Taipei has raised its alert level after Russia¡¯s invasion of Ukraine, wary of Beijing making a similar move.

Soldiers fired shells at a floating red cross in the water, meant to represent advancing enemy forces. Piercing the calm blue sea, each shell sent spray upwards.