A group of French lawmakers landed in Taiwan on Wednesday, the first high-level European delegation since China staged huge war drills to protest the visit of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to the island.

The trip came as Taiwan held two days of live fire drills on a strategic island that lies between its coast and China.

Democracy is under constant threat of invasion from authoritarian China, which claims the self-governing island will one day be part of its territory.

Beijing has lashed out at any diplomatic move that might lend legitimacy to Taiwan, and has responded with growing anger to visits by Western officials and politicians.

The delegation of five French lawmakers will be led by Senator Cyril Pellevat, Taiwan’s foreign ministry said, adding it was the fourth visit by French leaders in the past 12 months.

Last month, China sent warships, missiles and warplanes into the waters and skies around Taiwan to demonstrate its opposition to Pelosi’s presence – its largest and most aggressive maneuvers since the mid-1990s.

Pelosi, a veteran Beijing critic, was the longest-serving US politician to visit Taiwan in 25 years. She was followed by several separate US delegations in August.

China’s huge war drills sparked broad support in the United States for solidarity with Taiwan, which already has rare bipartisan support on Capitol Hill.

Many European powers have also been vocal in support of Taiwan in recent years, while Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has heightened fears that China could do the same to its neighbor.

Politicians from European countries regularly visit the island.

Beijing has adopted an increasingly bellicose stance on Taiwan under President Xi Jinping, China’s most authoritarian leader in a generation.

Xi, who is on the verge of an unprecedented third term, has linked Taiwan’s fate to his landmark policy of “the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.”

Like most nations, the United States and France officially recognize Beijing through Taipei.

But both remain key Taiwan allies and maintain de facto diplomatic ties with the island.

Washington’s official policy opposes both a declaration of independence by Taiwan and a forcible change in the island’s status by China.

On Tuesday, Taiwanese troops conducted dramatic night fire drills on Pingtung Island, which lies between mainland China and Taiwan and would have to be captured if invaded.

Tanks were lit by sudden bursts of flame as they fired shells while tracers streaked across the night sky.

“We will prepare for war but not seek war,” Huang Jing-feng, commander of the battalion, told reporters.

“We will continue training to improve each soldier’s combat skills.”

Exercises continued on Wednesday – with tanks, attack helicopters and mobile rocket launchers conducting target practice.