Beijing, 30 July 2022 (dpa/MIA) - In a possible warning to the United States, China has announced a military manoeuvre near Taiwan. Authorities in China said on Saturday that parts of the waters in Fujian province had been closed for a manoeuvre involving live ammunition. The exercise was scheduled from 9 am to 9 pm. The affected area is in the north of the Taiwan Strait, which separates mainland China and the self-governing island republic of Taiwan. In recent days, tensions between Beijing and Washington have increased significantly against the background of a possible trip to Taiwan by Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi. Beijing had threatened clear consequences in the event of such a trip, which Pelosi herself has not confirmed. During talks with US President Joe Biden on Thursday, Chinese President Xi Jinping had said, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, with reference from Taiwan: "Those who play with fire will perish by it." The Chinese leadership regards democratic Taiwan as part of the People's Republic and sees visits by foreign politicians as a provocation. It has vowed to retake the island by force if it makes any moves towards formal independence.