China launched large-scale military exercises around Taiwan, mobilising army, naval, air force and artillery units under what it called its “Justice Mission 2025” drills. The Eastern Theatre Command said the exercises include live-fire manoeuvres and temporary sea and airspace restrictions in zones encircling the island. This is Beijing’s sixth major round of war games around Taiwan since 2022 and comes shortly after the United States announced its largest-ever arms sale to the island.
Why It Matters
The drills heighten fears that China is narrowing the gap between military exercises and real combat preparations, reducing warning time for Taiwan and its partners in the event of an attack. Taiwan is a flashpoint in U.S.-China relations and a critical hub for global shipping and semiconductor supply chains. Any escalation risks destabilising the wider Indo-Pacific and drawing in regional powers, including the United States and Japan.
Taiwan’s government and military are on high alert, framing the drills as intimidation aimed at undermining the island’s democracy. China’s leadership is signalling resolve against what it calls separatism and foreign interference. The United States, Japan and other regional allies are closely watching developments, while international shipping, fishing communities and financial markets are exposed to potential disruption, even as Taiwan’s stocks remained steady.
What’s Next
China plans to continue live-fire exercises and simulations of strikes, blockades and coordinated attacks from multiple directions. Taiwan is conducting rapid-response drills to ensure forces can mobilise if exercises turn into an actual assault. With rhetoric sharpening on all sides and military activity becoming more frequent and explicit, analysts expect sustained pressure rather than de-escalation, keeping the risk of miscalculation high in the weeks ahead.
With information from Reuters.
