China dramatically escalated military pressure on Taiwan on Monday, launching sweeping live-fire drills that encircled the island in what Beijing openly described as a rehearsal for blockading key ports and deterring foreign intervention.
The exercises, carried out by China’s People’s Liberation Army, involved coordinated deployments of naval forces, air force units, and rocket troops operating around Taiwan. Chinese coast guard vessels were also dispatched near Taiwan’s outer islands to conduct what Beijing labeled “law enforcement inspections,” a move widely seen as part of the broader pressure campaign.
According to reporting from the BBC, the drills were named Justice Mission 2025 and were framed by China’s eastern theatre command as a direct warning to Taiwan and its international partners. The command said the operation was aimed at so-called “Taiwan independence” forces and outside powers accused of interfering in China’s internal affairs.
“It is a legitimate and necessary action to safeguard China’s sovereignty and national unity,” said Col. Shi Yi, a spokesperson for the eastern theatre command. Chinese officials have increasingly used such language to justify large-scale military activity near the self-governing island.
Taipei strongly condemned the drills, accusing Beijing of deliberately destabilizing the region while disguising aggressive behavior as routine military exercises. Taiwan’s defense ministry said it had responded by dispatching “appropriate forces” and launching its own counter-combat readiness drills to monitor and deter Chinese movements.
“Defending democracy and freedom is no provocation,” the ministry said, adding that the existence of the Republic of China, Taiwan’s formal name, does not justify attempts to alter the status quo through intimidation or force.
Taiwan’s coast guard also raised alarms about the real-world risks posed by the drills, warning that the simulated blockade threatens maritime safety. Officials said the exercises endanger commercial shipping and interfere with the livelihoods of fishermen by disrupting normal operations in Taiwan’s surrounding waters.
The latest show of force comes just weeks after Washington approved $11 billion in new arms sales to Taipei, a move that angered Beijing and underscored growing tensions between China and the United States. It also follows recent speeches by Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te, who pledged to strengthen the island’s defenses and achieve what he described as a “high level of combat preparedness” by 2027.
In announcing Justice Mission 2025, China’s eastern theatre command said its vessels and aircraft would approach Taiwan from multiple directions, testing the PLA’s ability to carry out rapid maneuvers, establish a full-spectrum operational posture, and execute what it openly called “systemic blockade and control.”
Chinese state media amplified the message with stylized propaganda videos and detailed maps showing exclusion zones to the north, northwest, and south of Taiwan. Some of those zones were positioned closer to the main island than in previous exercises, a detail that has raised concern among regional observers.
Justice Mission 2025 marks the sixth major PLA exercise aimed at Taiwan since 2022, highlighting a steady drumbeat of military pressure. Each round of drills has grown more complex and more explicit in its objectives, reinforcing fears that Beijing is methodically preparing for a potential confrontation.
For Taiwan, the latest maneuvers underscore the growing military threat posed by China and the stakes involved in maintaining deterrence. For the region, the drills serve as another reminder that Beijing is increasingly willing to flex its muscle in ways that test not only Taiwan’s defenses, but also the resolve of the international community.
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