The barges, which link up to form a bridge, could give China a way to land large numbers of vehicles and troops on Taiwan, solving a major logistical problem.

The drills came after Taiwan’s president, Lai Ching-te, announced measures to counter China’s influence and espionage. Beijing also wants to send a message to Washington, analysts said.

Lai Ching-te, the president of Taiwan, may be betting that China’s appetite for retaliation will be limited by Beijing’s interest in containing tensions with the Trump administration.