ALBAWABA- China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) launched large-scale military exercises around Taiwan, describing the operation as a direct warning to both “Taiwan independence forces” and what Beijing called foreign interference, in an apparent rebuke of recent U.S. support for the island.
The drills, codenamed Justice Mission 2025, involved destroyers, frigates, fighter-bombers, and drones conducting live-fire simulations.
According to the PLA’s Eastern Theater Command, the exercises focused on encircling Taiwan, blockading key ports, and testing joint sea-air combat readiness. Officials did not specify the duration of the drills.
PLA spokesperson Shi Yi said the maneuvers were designed to “blockade and control critical areas,” reinforcing Beijing’s claim of sovereignty over Taiwan and signaling its readiness to respond to external pressure.
Taiwan’s defense ministry condemned the exercises as a “unilateral provocation,” saying its forces had been placed on heightened alert while reaffirming their commitment to defending the island’s security.
No immediate incursions into Taiwan’s territorial waters or airspace were reported, but the drills marked the PLA’s largest activity around the island since April.
The exercises followed a U.S. State Department announcement on December 20 approving an $11 billion arms package for Taiwan, including advanced missile and radar systems. Beijing sharply criticized the move, accusing Washington of violating the “one China” principle and destabilizing the Taiwan Strait.
Washington maintains that its arms sales are consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act and necessary to preserve regional stability.
China, however, has increasingly responded to U.S. policy by escalating military pressure on Taipei, raising concerns among analysts about growing risks of miscalculation amid deteriorating U.S.-China relations and broader trade and security tensions.
