{"id":33372,"date":"2025-12-30T00:01:00","date_gmt":"2025-12-29T22:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/?p=33372"},"modified":"2025-12-30T00:03:17","modified_gmt":"2025-12-29T22:03:17","slug":"china-conducts-large-scale-live-fire-drills-around-taiwan-with-warships-fighter-jets-and-artillery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/china-conducts-large-scale-live-fire-drills-around-taiwan-with-warships-fighter-jets-and-artillery\/","title":{"rendered":"China conducts large-scale live-fire drills around Taiwan with warships, fighter jets, and artillery"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>6 minute read<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>China has launched its largest and most comprehensive round of military exercises around Taiwan to date, aimed at underscoring Beijing\u2019s determination to safeguard national sovereignty and counter what it describes as escalating separatist activity and foreign interference in its internal affairs.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The drills, codenamed \u201cJustice Mission 2025,\u201d were initiated by the People\u2019s Liberation Army\u2019s Eastern Theater Command and involve coordinated deployments of army, navy, air force, and rocket force units.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The exercises include live-fire drills, simulated precision strikes on land and maritime targets, and blockade scenarios targeting key ports and access routes around Taiwan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Chinese officials described the drills as a stern warning to \u201cTaiwan independence\u201d forces and their external backers, stressing that the actions are defensive, lawful, and necessary in response to rising provocations that have undermined peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Chen Binhua, spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said the exercises are aimed at curbing collusion between separatist forces on the island and foreign powers, which he said has become the primary source of instability in the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-media-max-width=\"800\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Multiple forces of the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People&#8217;s Liberation Army (PLA) conducted drills code-named &#8220;Justice Mission 2025&#8221; around Taiwan Island Monday. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/AN4wuKe1Da\">pic.twitter.com\/AN4wuKe1Da<\/a><\/p>\u2014 China Xinhua News (@XHNews) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/XHNews\/status\/2005661952962597281?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 29, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote> <script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><br>\u201cWe will never tolerate or condone any \u2018Taiwan independence\u2019 separatist acts, and we will strike back with force,\u201d Chen said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He accused the administration of Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te of pursuing independence \u201cwithout principle,\u201d sacrificing the island\u2019s economic development and the well-being of its people by courting foreign military support and embracing militarization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Chen emphasized that the drills are not directed at ordinary people in Taiwan, but rather at those pushing separatism and external interference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe historical trend toward national reunification is unstoppable,\u201d he said. \u201cNo one should underestimate our firm determination, unwavering will, and strong capabilities to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><br><strong>Scale and Scope of the Exercises<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the Eastern Theater Command, the drills span a record seven designated zones, some of which are closer to Taiwan than in previous exercises. Live-fire activities will continue through Tuesday, with artillery firing, naval maneuvers, air patrols, and joint strike simulations designed to test integrated combat readiness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The PLA said the exercises focus on encircling the island, sealing off major ports such as Keelung in the north and Kaohsiung in the south, and practicing denial of external military access. State media described the drills as a \u201cshield of justice\u201d against interference.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/China-drills-around-Taiwan.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"964\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/China-drills-around-Taiwan.jpg?resize=964%2C1024&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"China's PLA conducts training exercises around Taiwan\" class=\"wp-image-33376\" style=\"width:840px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/China-drills-around-Taiwan.jpg?resize=964%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 964w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/China-drills-around-Taiwan.jpg?resize=282%2C300&amp;ssl=1 282w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/China-drills-around-Taiwan.jpg?resize=768%2C816&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/China-drills-around-Taiwan.jpg?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 964px) 100vw, 964px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em><sup>China&#8217;s PLA conducts training exercises around Taiwan on December 29, 2025. (Image Credit: China PLA Eastern Theatre Command\/via China Daily)<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>This marks China\u2019s sixth major round of drills since 2022, reflecting what Beijing sees as a pattern of escalating challenges, including repeated arms sales by the United States and increasingly explicit political statements from Japan regarding Taiwan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><br><strong>Response to Foreign Arms Sales and Rhetoric<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Chinese officials have explicitly linked the timing of the exercises to Washington\u2019s recent approval of an $11.1 billion arms sale to Taiwan, the largest such package to date. Beijing has repeatedly warned that such sales violate the one-China principle and embolden separatist forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>China\u2019s defense ministry has protested the deal and imposed sanctions on 20 U.S. defense companies and 10 senior executives, arguing that continued militarization of the Taiwan issue risks pushing the region toward confrontation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The drills also follow remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggesting that Japan could become involved in a Taiwan conflict, comments Beijing condemned as dangerous interference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>China\u2019s Foreign Ministry said the exercises constitute a \u201csevere punishment for separatist forces seeking independence through force\u201d and warned external actors against \u201cusing Taiwan to contain China.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAny sinister schemes to obstruct China\u2019s reunification are doomed to fail,\u201d Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/China-PLA-exercise.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1016\" height=\"690\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/China-PLA-exercise-1024x695.jpg?resize=1016%2C690&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"PLA\u2019s Southern Theatre Command exercise\" class=\"wp-image-33375\" style=\"width:840px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/China-PLA-exercise.jpg?resize=1024%2C695&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/China-PLA-exercise.jpg?resize=300%2C204&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/China-PLA-exercise.jpg?resize=768%2C521&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/China-PLA-exercise.jpg?w=1120&amp;ssl=1 1120w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1016px) 100vw, 1016px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em><sup>Undated photo of an exercise conducted by the PLA\u2019s Southern Theatre Command. (Image Credit: China PLA\/weixin.qq.com)<\/sup><\/em><br><br><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><br><strong>Demonstrating Modernized Capabilities<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During the drills, the Chinese military released footage showcasing advanced systems, including unmanned aerial vehicles, microdrones, automated humanoid robots, and weaponized robotic dogs, signaling the PLA\u2019s rapid modernization and growing emphasis on joint, technology-driven operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Military analysts within China said the exercises demonstrate enhanced anti-access and area-denial capabilities, designed to prevent outside forces from intervening in a Taiwan-related contingency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fu Zhengyuan, a researcher at the PLA\u2019s Academy of Military Science, said the drills were justified by increasing interoperability between Taiwanese and U.S. combat systems, which he warned raises the risk of a direct clash between major powers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><br><strong>Taiwan\u2019s Reaction and Limited Impact<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Taiwan authorities condemned the drills, placing their military on high alert and conducting what they described as \u201crapid response exercises.\u201d The island\u2019s defense ministry said it detected 89 Chinese military aircraft, 14 naval vessels, and 14 coast guard ships operating around the island on Monday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite official rhetoric, daily life on the island remained largely unaffected. Taiwan\u2019s stock market closed 0.9% higher, and port authorities said commercial shipping continued with minimal disruption. Aviation authorities worked to reroute flights due to temporary danger zones declared for live-fire activities.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Taiwan-HIMARS-Han-Kuang-drills.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1016\" height=\"678\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Taiwan-HIMARS-Han-Kuang-drills.jpg?resize=1016%2C678&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Taiwan HIMARS system\" class=\"wp-image-30189\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.4993029818775288;object-fit:cover;width:840px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Taiwan-HIMARS-Han-Kuang-drills.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Taiwan-HIMARS-Han-Kuang-drills.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Taiwan-HIMARS-Han-Kuang-drills.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Taiwan-HIMARS-Han-Kuang-drills.jpg?resize=589%2C392&amp;ssl=1 589w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Taiwan-HIMARS-Han-Kuang-drills.jpg?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1016px) 100vw, 1016px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em><sup>A High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) is on display at a park during Taiwan&#8217;s annual Han Kuang military exercise in Taichung, Taiwan, on July 12, 2025. (Image Credit: Reuters\/Ann Wang)<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Some residents downplayed the drills. \u201cSimilar exercises have happened before,\u201d said one teacher in Taipei, adding that ordinary people were focused on daily life rather than military signaling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><br><strong>Reunification Framed as Historical Inevitability<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Beijing continues to stress that it prefers peaceful reunification, but maintains the right to use non-peaceful means if separatist forces cross red lines. Chinese officials argue that the growing involvement of external powers has narrowed the space for dialogue and increased risks unnecessarily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>State media described the exercises as a legitimate and necessary action to uphold national unity, protect long-term regional stability, and deter reckless moves that could turn Taiwan into what Chinese officials call a geopolitical \u201cpowder keg.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe responsibility for tension lies squarely with separatist forces and those who arm and encourage them,\u201d one commentary said, adding that stability in the Taiwan Strait depends on respecting China\u2019s sovereignty and abandoning zero-sum strategies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As the drills continue, Beijing\u2019s message remains consistent that any efforts to divide China or interfere in its internal affairs will be met with firm, measured, and increasingly capable responses, while the path to lasting peace lies in rejecting separatism and returning to dialogue under the one-China framework.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/China-PLA-naval-drill.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1016\" height=\"564\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/China-PLA-naval-drill.jpg?resize=1016%2C564&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"A screenshot from a video released by the Eastern Theatre Command of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA)\" class=\"wp-image-33373\" style=\"width:840px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/China-PLA-naval-drill.jpg?resize=1024%2C568&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/China-PLA-naval-drill.jpg?resize=300%2C167&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/China-PLA-naval-drill.jpg?resize=768%2C426&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/China-PLA-naval-drill.jpg?w=1400&amp;ssl=1 1400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1016px) 100vw, 1016px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em><sup>Smoke rises from a weapon on a ship after it was fired during drills east of Taiwan, in this screenshot from a video released by the Eastern Theatre Command of China&#8217;s People&#8217;s Liberation Army (PLA) on December 29, 2025. (Image Credit: China PLA Eastern Theatre Command)<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>China has launched its largest and most comprehensive round of military exercises around Taiwan to date, aimed at underscoring Beijing\u2019s determination to safeguard national sovereignty and counter what it describes as escalating separatist activity and foreign interference in its internal affairs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":33380,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[124,1],"tags":[256,218,137,380,45,6,443,325,377,5,90,485,536,169,91],"class_list":["post-33372","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-asia-pacific","category-news","tag-aircraft","tag-army","tag-asia","tag-asia-pacific","tag-china","tag-defense","tag-drills","tag-exercise","tag-indo-pacific","tag-military","tag-navy","tag-pla","tag-ships","tag-taiwan","tag-warship"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/China-PLA-drills-around-Taiwan.jpg?fit=690%2C370&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7jJWb-8Gg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33372","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33372"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33372\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33385,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33372\/revisions\/33385"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/33380"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33372"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33372"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33372"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}