Beijing, Dec 29: China on Monday launched its widest military exercises yet around Taiwan, signalling its readiness to isolate the island in the event of conflict and raising regional security concerns across the Asia-Pacific.
The People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theatre Command said troops, naval fleets, combat aircraft and artillery units were mobilised under an operation titled Justice Mission 2025. The drills aim to surround Taiwan, conduct live-fire activity and simulate strikes on both land and maritime targets, including rehearsals to block major ports.
According to Chinese maritime authorities, live firing will continue on Tuesday across seven designated zones, the largest number ever declared for such drills and positioned closer to Taiwan than previous exercises. This marks an expansion from the initially announced five zones.
Taiwan’s Defence Ministry said an additional unannounced two-hour drill was carried out by Chinese forces on Monday morning in waters east of the island, further heightening alert levels in Taipei.
The disruption has extended to civilian travel. Taiwan’s Transport Ministry stated that more than 100,000 international passengers are expected to be affected on Tuesday, while nearly 80 domestic flights have been cancelled due to airspace restrictions.
This is China’s sixth round of large-scale exercises around Taiwan since 2022, following a visit by former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The latest drills come amid sharper language from Beijing after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested that a Chinese military move against Taiwan could draw a response from Tokyo.
Taiwan has once again rejected Beijing’s sovereignty claim, insisting that the island’s future rests solely with its people.
“Our forces are prepared for every possible situation,” said Hsieh Jih-sheng, Deputy Chief of the General Staff for Intelligence at Taiwan’s defence ministry. He warned that sustained live-fire drills in the Taiwan Strait pose risks not only to Taiwan but also to neighbouring states and global shipping lanes.
The exercises began less than two weeks after the United States approved an $11.1 billion arms package for Taiwan, the largest to date. Beijing strongly protested the decision, accusing Washington of interference.
Military analysts in Taipei said the drills appear designed to show China’s ability to shut down air and sea routes. Airspace north of Taiwan was reportedly sealed off, affecting routes linking Taiwan and Japan.
Observers note that China’s military activity is increasingly blurring the line between training and operational readiness, a move that could limit warning time for Taiwan and its partners in any future crisis.
The Chinese military also released footage showing robotic systems, including drones and automated ground units, portraying simulated assaults on Taiwan — technology not previously displayed in such exercises.
Taiwan’s government condemned the manoeuvres, while its defence ministry released visuals of its own capabilities, including US-supplied HIMARS rocket systems, capable of striking coastal targets across the Taiwan Strait if hostilities erupt.
The island’s coast guard said it deployed large patrol vessels to monitor Chinese ships near its waters and is coordinating with the military to reduce disruption to fishing and shipping routes.
By Monday evening, Taiwan reported the presence of 89 Chinese military aircraft, 14 naval vessels, and 14 coast guard ships operating around the island, along with four additional warships in the wider Pacific.
Despite the heightened tension, Taiwan’s stock market closed 0.9 per cent higher, indicating calm among investors.
“These drills are meant to intimidate,” said Lin Wei-ming, a school teacher in Taipei. “We’ve seen this before. How this unfolds depends on how our government handles it.”
