Taiwan's air reconnaissance squadron has discovered spy ships from China, France, India, Japan, South Korea and the United States, the Eastern cable television station said.

"The reason they came here was that they hoped to gather relevant electronic data when the military launch a series of live-fire drills Thursday," it said.

"As a matter of fact, Chinese spy ships were frequent visitors off Taiwan," it said.

Earlier this month a fleet of Taiwanese naval and coast guard vessels chased after a Chinese spy ship found off southern Taiwan.

The mainland vessel, called Xiangyanghung No. 14, was detected at some 25 nautical miles (37.9 miles) off Chiupeng base, where most of Taiwan's missile tests have been held.

The upcoming drills are part of the "Hankuang 18" (Han Glory) exercise starting this month.

"The purpose of the drills is to review the functioning of the country's military command system after a new law redefining the power of the defense minister and the chief of the general staff was enacted" on March 1, defense minister Tang Yao-ming said.

The new law stipulates that the defense minister is entitled to order the "first strike" once a war breaks out, with the follow-up military operations being led by the chief of the general staff.

The exercise is also designed to evaluate the coordination and combat capability of the forces following a series of modernization projects.

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