Updated by Faith Barbara N Ruhinda at 1022 EAT on Monday 29 December 2025

China on Monday launched live-fire military drills around Taiwan, deploying air, naval and rocket forces in exercises that its military said were intended to test combat readiness and issue a “stern warning” against what it described as separatist elements and external interference.

The drills prompted Taiwan to mobilise troops and military equipment, as authorities conducted readiness exercises aimed at repelling a potential attack.

The drills come amid heightened tensions following an $11.1 billion US weapons sale to Taiwan, as well as remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggesting that Japan’s military could become involved should China attack the self-governed island.
Beijing regards Taiwan as part of its territory and has repeatedly vowed to bring the island under its control, by force if necessary.

In a statement, the Chinese military’s Eastern Theater Command said it had deployed forces to the north and southwest of the Taiwan Strait, conducting live-fire exercises and simulated strikes against land and maritime targets.
The drills, codenamed Just Mission 2025, are scheduled to continue on Tuesday and will include exercises aimed at blockading Taiwan’s major ports and encircling the island.

Shi Yi, a spokesperson for the Eastern Theater Command, said in a post on the Chinese social media platform Weibo that the exercises would focus on “training for maritime and aerial combat readiness patrols, gaining integrated control, sealing off key ports and areas, and conducting multi-dimensional deterrence.”

He added that the drills were intended as “a serious warning” to what China described as Taiwan independence forces and external actors.

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) said it had deployed fighter jets, bombers, unmanned aerial vehicles, and long-range rockets, and would practise striking mobile land-based targets. Chinese vessels and aircraft will approach Taiwan “in close proximity from different directions,” while troops from multiple services will “engage in joint assaults to test their joint operations capabilities,” according to Shi Yi, spokesperson for the Eastern Theater Command.

China’s state broadcaster reported that the drills would focus on sealing off Taiwan’s vital deep-water ports, including Keelung in the north and Kaohsiung in the south, the island’s largest port city. While the PLA has practised port blockades around Taiwan in previous war games, observers noted that this is the first time China has publicly stated the exercises are aimed at deterring foreign military intervention.

Taiwan’s government condemned the drills. A presidential office spokesperson urged China not to misjudge the situation or undermine regional peace, calling on Beijing to immediately halt what they described as irresponsible provocations.
“In response to the Chinese authorities’ disregard for international norms and the use of military intimidation to threaten neighbouring countries, Taiwan expresses its strong condemnation,” said Karen Kuo, spokesperson for the presidential office.

Taiwan’s defence ministry reported that over the past 24 hours, two Chinese military aircraft and 11 ships had operated around the island. It added that Taiwan’s military remains on high alert and has conducted “rapid response exercises,” designed to swiftly mobilise troops in case a routine drill escalates into an actual attack.

“All members of our armed forces will remain highly vigilant and fully on guard, taking concrete action to defend the values of democracy and freedom,” the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry also shared a video on Facebook showcasing various weapons, including US-made HIMARS rocket systems, a highly mobile artillery system with a range of approximately 300 km (186 miles) capable of striking coastal targets in China’s southern Fujian province across the Taiwan Strait in the event of a conflict.

Taiwan’s coastguard said it had deployed large vessels in response to Chinese coastguard activity near its waters and is coordinating with the military to minimise the impact of the drills on maritime routes and fishing areas.

Taiwan’s aviation authority said China had established a “temporary danger zone” over Taipei’s airspace for 10 hours of live-fire drills on Tuesday and is working to reroute commercial flights.

William Yang, senior analyst for Northeast Asia at the Crisis Group, told Al Jazeera that the exercises’ language signals a focus on enhancing “anti-access” and “area denial capabilities.” He said it sends a “very strong message” to Taiwan’s unofficial allies, including the US and Japan, that Beijing could block external support during a conflict.

Yang noted that the Just Mission 2025 drills cover a larger area around Taiwan than previous exercises, showcasing the PLA’s improved ability to rapidly deploy multiple military assets to key positions. “This is a clear demonstration of the PLA’s modernisation progress,” he said.

The drills come after the US approved an $11.1 billion arms sale to Taiwan earlier this month—the largest ever for the island—which drew protests from China’s defence ministry and warnings of “forceful measures.” Beijing also imposed sanctions last week on 20 US defence-related companies and 10 executives.

Comments by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi have further heightened tensions, prompting China to reiterate its sovereignty claims. Chinese President Xi Jinping reportedly told US President Donald Trump in November that Taiwan’s “return to China” after World War II is central to Beijing’s vision of the global order.

Taiwan rejects China’s claims, insisting that only its citizens can decide the island’s future. In a Sunday interview with Sanli E-Television, President William Lai Ching-te said Taiwan must continue to raise the costs of potential aggression and strengthen its indigenous defence capabilities.

“If China sets 2027 as the year to be ready for an invasion of Taiwan, then we have only one choice: to keep raising the difficulty so that China can never meet that standard. Taiwan will naturally remain safe,” Lai said.

_Aljazeera

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