By Yimou Lee and Laurie Chen TAIPEI/BEIJING (Reuters) -Taiwan is determined to defend itself and protect its free way of life, the island's defence minister said on Thursday discussing next month's annual exercises,

Chinese defence spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang said Taiwan prez Lai has a distorted version of history exposing his 'evil doctrine' of escalating 'cross-Taiwan Strait confrontation'.

The PLA will enhance combat readiness to firmly safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang told a regular press conference. "The Lai authorities keep pushing Taiwan into a dangerous situation of war;