China’s People’s Liberation Army Eastern Theater Command has launched major joint military exercises around Taiwan, describing them as a “legitimate and necessary action” to safeguard national sovereignty and unity. The drills, code-named Justice Mission 2025, began on Monday and involve coordinated operations by the PLA’s Army, Navy, Air Force, and Rocket Force in the Taiwan Straits and surrounding waters and airspace to the north, south, east, and west of the island.
PLA spokesperson Shi Yi said the exercises are aimed at sea-air combat readiness patrols, joint seizure of comprehensive superiority, blockades of key ports and areas, and full-spectrum deterrence beyond the island chain. He said vessels and aircraft are approaching Taiwan from multiple directions to test joint operational and strike capabilities, sending what Beijing describes as a stern warning to “Taiwan independence” forces and external actors.
Throughout the day, the Eastern Theater Command released frequent updates showing live-fire drills, strikes on mobile ground targets in the Taiwan Straits, maritime assault training, long-range bomber patrols east of Taiwan, and exercises focused on air superiority, anti-submarine warfare, and information support. Posters released by the command carried themes such as “Shield of Justice, Smashing Illusion” and “Arrow of Justice, Control and Denial,” reinforcing the deterrent message.
Chinese civilian agencies also signaled support. The China Coast Guard announced comprehensive law enforcement patrols in waters around Taiwan and the Matsu and Wuqiu islands. The State Council Taiwan Affairs Office said any attempt by external forces to intervene in the Taiwan question would “crash headlong into the steel wall of the PLA,” while the Foreign Ministry warned that provocations crossing red lines would face resolute countermeasures.
Military analysts in China highlighted the immediacy of the drills. Zhang Chi of the National Defense University said the defining feature of Justice Mission 2025 is that it “strikes as soon as it commences,” with live-fire elements introduced early rather than after gradual escalation. He said this reflects a shift toward training under real combat conditions and a stronger deterrent posture against separatist forces and foreign interference.
The exercises drew intense reaction on Taiwan. Local media described the drills as a sudden assault, noting they mark the seventh major PLA encirclement-style exercise since 2022. Taiwan’s defense authorities condemned the drills as unprovoked military provocations undermining regional stability, while announcing an eighth, previously unpublicized PLA warning zone where exercises are scheduled to take place on December 30.
Within Taiwan’s political landscape, the opposition Chinese Kuomintang took a sharply different view. KMT leader Cheng Li-wun criticized Taiwan regional leader Lai Ching-te, warning that what she called provocative and misguided cross-Straits policies are pushing Taiwan toward the brink of war. KMT lawmakers said the timing of the drills, coinciding with the Shanghai–Taipei City Forum, suggests Beijing is targeting the current authorities while leaving space open for dialogue with those willing to engage.
Internationally, the drills drew widespread media attention in the United States and Japan, with coverage linking them to US arms sales to Taiwan and remarks by Japanese officials on a potential Taiwan contingency. Analysts cited by international outlets said the PLA was signaling enhanced anti-access and area-denial capabilities aimed at deterring external intervention. Despite the coverage, official responses from Washington and Tokyo remained muted as the exercises continued.
