By AFP | 2025-12-29

BEIJING -- China has launched large-scale live-fire drills around Taiwan, simulating a blockade of key ports in a move Taipei condemned as "military intimidation."

Beijing, which claims the island democracy as its own territory, has long refused to rule out the use of force to seize the island.

The maneuvers were announced on December 29, just 11 days after the United States approved a record $11.1 billion arms package for the island. This represents the largest US-Taiwan weapon deal in history and prompted warnings from Beijing of "forceful measures" in response.

In its statement, Beijing warned that "external forces" arming the island are pushing the Taiwan Strait toward a "perilous situation of imminent war," though it stopped short of naming the United States directly.

Any attempts to stop China's unification with Taiwan were "doomed to fail," Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said.

AFP reporters saw two fighter jets and a distant military vessel from Pingtan island, the Chinese point closest to Taiwan.

'Live-fire training'

China said early on December 29 it was conducting "live-fire training on maritime targets to the north and southwest of Taiwan" in large-scale exercises involving destroyers, frigates, fighters, bombers and drones.

Military spokesman Shi Yi said Beijing would send army, navy, air force and rocket force troops for drills code-named Justice Mission 2025.

He said the drills would focus on "sea-air combat readiness patrol, joint seizure of comprehensive superiority, blockade on key ports and areas, as well as all-dimensional deterrence outside the island chain."

Chinese authorities published a map of five large zones around Taiwan where the war games would take place.

Taiwan condemns and monitors

Taiwan said China's designated exercise zones, some of which are within 12 nautical miles of its coast, have affected international shipping and aviation routes.

The island's government condemned China's "disregard for international norms and the use of military intimidation to threaten neighboring countries," Presidential Office spokeswoman Karen Kuo said.

Its Defense Ministry said it had detected 89 Chinese military aircraft near its shores on December 29, the highest number in a single day since October 2024.

It also said it had detected 28 warships and coast guard vessels.

Taiwan's Civil Aviation Administration said China had declared a "Temporary Danger Area" for 10 hours on December 30.

It also said "more than 100,000 (air) passengers" on 857 domestic, international and transit flights would be affected by the drills the same day.

Taiwan's military said it had established a response center, deployed "appropriate forces" and "carried out a rapid response exercise," while its coast guard said it "immediately deployed large vessels."

The drills by China's ruling Communist Party "further confirm its nature as an aggressor, making it the greatest destroyer of peace," Taipei's Defense Ministry said.

'Stern warning'

Chinese military spokesman Shi said the drills were "a stern warning against 'Taiwan Independence' separatist forces, and ... a legitimate and necessary action to safeguard China's sovereignty and national unity."

Beijing's military released a poster about the drills showing "arrows of justice" -- one engulfed in flames -- raining down on a geographical outline of Taiwan.

And in an artificial-intelligence-generated video published by the force, eagles, sharks, wolves and bees transformed into Chinese military equipment, lashing Taiwan from the sea and air.

A Pingtan sightseer, surnamed Lin, said she hoped to see mainland China and Taiwan unify eventually.

"I hope things can keep getting better and develop, and our relationships can become closer and closer," said the 22-year-old from Sichuan province.

State broadcaster CCTV reported that a core theme of the exercises was a "blockade" of key Taiwanese ports, including Keelung in the north and Kaohsiung in the south.

The military also released a video depicting futuristic military technology, including automated humanoid robots, microdrones and weaponized robotic dogs, which China had never showcased before.

China's military last held large-scale drills involving live firing around Taiwan in April -- surprise maneuvers condemned by Taipei.

Earlier in December, Beijing said it would take "resolute and forceful measures" to safeguard its territory after Taiwan announced the United States' approval of the $11 billion arms sale.

It announced fresh sanctions on 20 American defense companies on December 26, although they appeared to have little or no business in China.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi triggered a backlash from Beijing in November when she said the use of force against Taiwan could warrant a military response from Tokyo.