Taiwan will not provoke a confrontation with China, the self-ruled island's vice president said Friday, lamenting Beijing's "aggressive military posturing" against the island democracy China claims as its own.

It’s still lunchtime in Taipei but the streets are strangely quiet. A few people are running with their bags, despite the sweltering summer heat, desperate to get somewhere before 1.30 p.m.

Taiwan does not seek conflict with China and will not provoke confrontation and Beijing's "aggressive" military posturing was counterproductive, Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim said on Friday. China considers democratic Taiwan as part of its own territory and calls President Lai Ching-te a "separatist".