Tsai met McCarthy outside Los Angeles on her way home from a visit to two allied countries in Central America.
Last August, China deployed warships, missiles and fighter jets around Taiwan in its biggest show of force in years, following a visit to the island by McCarthy’s predecessor, Nancy Pelosi.
Tsai met McCarthy last week in the US instead of Taiwan.
It was seen as a deal that would underscore support for Taiwan but avoid escalating tensions with Beijing.
But China had repeatedly warned against any meeting, and launched the latest maneuvers soon after Tsai returned to Taiwan.
PLA spokesman Shi Yin said of “Joint Sword”, “These operations serve as a stern warning against collusion between separatist forces and their provocative activities in pursuit of ‘Taiwan independence’ and external forces.”
Tsai responded to the exercise by pledging to work with “the US and other like-minded countries” in opposing “continued authoritarian expansionism”.