China Announces Military Exercises Around Taiwan After Criticising Major US Arms Deal

Last Updated:December 29, 2025, 13:17 IST

China's military said that it is mobilising its army, navy, air force, and rocket units around Taiwan for drills to send a strong warning against any moves for Taiwan independence.

The exercises – dubbed “Justice Mission-2025” – would test combat readiness and “blockade and control of key ports and critical areas.

China’s military said on Monday that it is mobilising its army, navy, air force, and rocket units around Taiwan for major drills meant to send a strong warning against any moves for Taiwanese independence and outside interference.

The exercises, called ‘Justice Mission-2025,’ will test combat readiness and the ability to block and control key ports and areas, according to China’s Eastern Theater Command. Live-fire drills will happen in five zones around the island.

Taiwan’s government condemned the drills, calling them military intimidation, and said it is fully alert and ready to defend democracy and freedom. China has increased its military pressure on Taiwan in recent years, often holding drills at sensitive times to show its displeasure.

China and Japan have also been in a diplomatic dispute over comments made by Japan’s prime minister about Taiwan, while the US and Taiwan recently announced what could be one of the biggest US arms sales to the island.

Taiwan’s president is pushing for a special defense budget, which has angered Beijing. China’s Communist Party claims Taiwan as its territory, even though it has never ruled it, and has promised to take control of the island, by force if needed.

The Eastern Theater Command released a video of a military exercise called ‘Closing in, seizing control and preventing escape.’ The command’s spokesperson said the drills are a serious warning to Taiwan independence forces and outside interference, referring to the US and its allies, and called the exercises necessary to protect China’s sovereignty and unity.

Chinese state media quoted military analysts who said the US-Taiwan arms deal was an escalation of collusive actions. Taiwan’s presidential spokesperson said the drills undermine security and stability in the Taiwan Strait and Indo-Pacific region and challenge international laws.

The $11.1 billion US-Taiwan arms deal includes rocket systems, anti-tank missiles, drones, howitzers, and military software. The US recognizes the People’s Republic of China as the only legitimate government of China and acknowledges Beijing’s position that Taiwan is part of China, but does not accept the Communist Party’s claim of sovereignty over Taiwan.

The US maintains close unofficial ties with Taiwan and is required by law to help the island defend itself. China has released nationalistic propaganda about the drills, including posters showing arrows raining down on Taiwan. It is not clear how long the exercises will last. Naval and air patrols started on December 29, and live-fire drills are scheduled for December 30.

China’s Coast Guard also began law enforcement patrols near Taiwan and its outlying islands. The drills come as tensions with Japan rise, after Japan’s prime minister suggested a military response if China tries to take Taiwan by force, which Beijing sees as a threat.

Taiwan is a key issue in US-China relations, and China criticized the recent arms deal as undermining its sovereignty and stability in the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan has increased military purchases as Chinese aircraft and ships operate near the island almost daily. Some of the latest arms deal will be paid for by a proposed $40 billion special defense budget, which is facing challenges in Taiwan’s legislature.

News world China Announces Military Exercises Around Taiwan After Criticising Major US Arms Deal

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