China Conducts Large-Scale Live-Fire Military Drills Around Taiwan Amid Regional Tensions
The People's Liberation Army (PLA) has launched extensive live-fire military drills around Taiwan involving naval, air force, and rocket forces. Named Justice Mission 2025, the exercises cover three large zones near the southern tip of Taiwan as well as two to the north and northwest, with designated air and maritime corridors to avoid. This marks the sixth major PLA exercise targeting Taiwan since 2022 and the first significant Taiwan-focused drill since April 2025.
Col Shi Yi, spokesman for the PLA Eastern Theatre Command, described the drills as a stern warning to Taiwan independence forces and external interference, emphasizing that the operations are legitimate and necessary to safeguard China's sovereignty and national unity. Taiwan's defence ministry condemned the drills, responding by dispatching forces to conduct counter combat-readiness exercises aimed at defending democracy.
The timing of the drills coincides with escalating tensions in the region, particularly between Japan and Taiwan. These tensions followed remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who suggested possible Japanese involvement if China were to attack Taiwan. Concurrently, the United States authorized approximately $11 billion in weapons sales to Taiwan. Taiwan's President, Lai Ching-te, reiterated a commitment to strengthening national defenses and attaining a high level of combat readiness by 2027.
Beijing continues to regard Taiwan as a province of China, with the goal of annexation. According to past U.S. intelligence reports, the PLA is modernizing its forces with ambitions to have invasion capabilities by 2027.
