China Conducts Military Drills Around Taiwan Amid Rising Tensions

Mon Dec 29 2025 08:29:52 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In response to perceived separatist threats, China announces extensive military exercises around Taiwan, escalating geopolitical tensions following U.S. arms sales to the island.

China is set to hold military drills around Taiwan starting Tuesday, simulating a blockade and seizure of key areas as a warning against 'separatist forces'. The announcement comes shortly after the U.S. approved a substantial arms package for Taiwan, which has further strained relations between Beijing and Taipei. Taiwanese officials have expressed their commitment to national defense amidst these escalated military activities.

China has announced it will hold military drills around Taiwan simulating the seizure and blockade of the island's key areas, as a warning against 'separatist forces'.

The army, navy, air force and rocket force would be dispatched for the drills scheduled for Tuesday, which include live-fire exercises, the Chinese military said.

Codenamed 'Justice Mission 2025', the drills are taking place days after the US announced the sale of one of its largest weapons packages to Taiwan worth $11bn (£8.2bn). That move drew sharp protest from Beijing which in turn sanctioned US defence firms.

Taiwan's push to ramp up its defence this year has also angered Beijing, which claims the self-ruled island as its territory.

Taiwan's presidential office has criticised the upcoming Chinese drills, calling them a challenge to international norms.

Taiwan's defence ministry said that they detected Chinese aircraft and ships around Taiwan on Monday morning, and have deployed their own forces and missile systems to monitor the situation. Its forces are on 'high alert' to defend Taiwan and 'protect our people', the ministry said.

In a post on Weibo, the Chinese military's Eastern Theater Command - in charge of the Taiwan Strait - described the upcoming military exercise as a 'shield of justice'.

While China has long called for 'peaceful reunification' with Taiwan, it also has a law stating it will resort to 'non-peaceful means' to prevent the island's 'secession'.

Beijing has accused Taiwan's president Lai Ching-te of pursuing 'Taiwan independence'. The president maintains Taiwan is already a sovereign nation and therefore has no need to formally declare independence.

Polls consistently show that most Taiwanese people want the 'status quo', meaning they neither want to unify with China, nor to formally declare independence.

This week's military drills would also aim at deterrence 'outside the island chain', China's military said.

China's ties with Japan have plunged to their iciest in years after Japanese leader Sanae Takaichi suggested last month that Japan's self-defence forces could step in if China attacked Taiwan.