Hong Kong's Apple Daily newspaper said more than 50 Hong Kong boats that had been fishing around Taiwan had been forced to stay in the Taiwan ports of Keelung and Matzu Island because of the drills. The Hong Kong government said on Sunday air traffic had been heavily affected. It announced the diversion of over 150 flights to and from Hong Kong daily during the war games China plans between March 12 and 20. A government spokeswoman said two scheduled flights between Hong Kong and Japan's Okinawa also had to be rerouted during missile tests that began last Friday and were scheduled to last for a week. The drills are to warn Taiwan against any dash for independence.
China regards Taiwan as a renegade province.