TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The defense ministry has been monitoring China’s military for signs it may reprise its maritime war games from last year in the wake of Taiwan’s National Day, according to Taiwan’s defense chief.

Speaking to journalists at the Legislative Yuan on Thursday, Defense Minister Wellington Koo (顧立雄) was quoted by Reuters as saying, "We will continue to monitor relevant developments in China and gather any early warning intelligence." He declined to comment on “hypothetical scenarios.” 

Taiwan's National Day is celebrated annually on Oct. 10. It is known as "Double Ten.”

Also on Thursday, Koo visited military installations in the Penghu archipelago. Spurred by a new defense ministry photo of the minister in front of a Sky Bow III missile battery, reporters asked whether the kit has been deployed in Penghu and other islands. Koo said only that the battery had “entered service,” per the report.

Last year, China staged an elaborate military spectacle in the waters around Taiwan following its National Day, describing its actions as a rehearsal for a blockade and assault. The aggressive display, repeated in April, amplified China’s daily use of gray-zone tactics.