On December 29, 2025, the Eastern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army of China conducted joint military exercises, codenamed “Mission Justice 2025,” which began on Monday, December 29, and continued until the evening of Tuesday, December 30, 2025. These exercises were China’s response to the multi-billion dollar US arms deal with Taiwan and a firm response from Beijing to Israel’s assistance to Taiwan in developing its new multi-layered air defense system, known militarily as “T-DOM,” and linking it to Israel’s Iron Dome system. During the last week of December 2025, Beijing imposed sanctions on 20 US defense-related companies and 10 executives, less than a week after Washington announced a large-scale arms sale to Taiwan worth over $10 billion. If approved by the US Congress, this would be the largest-ever US arms package to the self-governing territory of Taiwan, which is under mainland China’s jurisdiction according to UN resolutions and international law.
These Chinese military exercises also come after Beijing expressed its anger over public statements by Japanese Prime Minister “Sanae Takaichi” that “her country’s army might intervene if China took action against Taiwan.” Beijing categorically rejected this, responding that Taiwan is part of its territory and that it would not rule out annexing it by force if necessary. China also criticized the ongoing interference by the US, Israel, Japan, and other foreign powers in Taiwan’s internal affairs, accusing them of deliberately provoking China.
In response to these ongoing external provocations against China, Chinese Navy Colonel “Shi Yi”, spokesman for the Eastern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army, stated that the Chinese military exercises, codenamed “Mission Justice 2025,” are being conducted in the Taiwan Strait and areas to the north, southwest, southeast, and east of the island of Taiwan. Chinese Navy Colonel “Shi Yi” added that “Chinese military activities will focus on naval and air combat readiness patrols, joint control of overall superiority, imposing blockades on major ports, and deterrence beyond the Taiwan island chain.” The Eastern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) confirmed this in a statement published on the Chinese social media platform WeChat, stating, “This is a stern warning to Taiwan’s separatist forces and a legitimate and necessary measure to safeguard China’s sovereignty and national unity.”
During these Chinese military exercises, a massive force of Chinese troops invaded Taiwan. The Chinese armed forces launched these exercises as a warning to separatist forces advocating for “Taiwan independence” and to external forces, deeming them a legitimate and necessary measure to safeguard China’s national sovereignty and maintain its unity. The Chinese military exercises in Taiwan involved ground, naval, air, and missile forces, focusing on blockading vital ports, conducting combat readiness patrols, and controlling key areas surrounding the island. These exercises saw extensive participation from the ground, naval, air, and missile forces of the Eastern Theater Command. The Chinese drills centered on simulating a comprehensive blockade of ports and vital areas, testing combat readiness, and conducting simulated live-fire strikes in seven designated areas surrounding Taiwan.
Several official Chinese statements from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs carried stern messages to Taiwan, just over an hour after the Chinese military announced live-fire drills in the waters north of Taiwan. Most notably, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned Taiwan in an official statement on Tuesday, December 30, that “China will resolutely oppose US arms sales to Taiwan.” This came as the second day of live-fire drills conducted by the Chinese military around the island began. In a speech delivered in Beijing, Wang Yi warned Taiwan that “in response to the continued provocations by pro-independence forces in Taiwan and US arms sales to Taiwan, we must firmly oppose and resolutely counter them.”
Through these maneuvers, Beijing attempted to convey several political messages, portraying them as a “stern warning” to separatist forces advocating for “Taiwanese independence” and to external forces seeking to interfere. China described the exercises as a “legitimate and necessary” measure to protect its sovereignty. These Chinese military drills also come amidst escalating tensions following the approval of an $11.1 billion US arms deal with Taiwan in mid-December 2025. The second day of the exercises, December 30, included live-fire drills in five large areas surrounding the island, with Chinese ships and aircraft approaching Taiwan from multiple directions. Taiwan, with support from Washington, responded by raising its combat readiness level and condemning the Chinese maneuvers around the island, while the United States stated it was closely monitoring the situation. The “Justice Mission 2025” exercises caused widespread disruption to air and cargo traffic, with designated “danger zones” leading to the delay or cancellation of more than 100,000 international and domestic flights. These exercises are the largest of their kind for China, in terms of geographical coverage and proximity to Taiwan.
Here, we note that the “Justice Mission 2025” is China’s second major military exercise in 2025, following“Strait Thunder 2025,” which took place in April 2025 and is known militarily as “Strait Thunder-2025A,” which focused on the Matsu Islands and the central and southern parts of the Taiwan Strait.
While the “Justice Mission 2025” involved all branches of the People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater forces (land, sea, air, and missile), utilizing destroyers, bombers, and drones.
What caught my attention in this regard was Taiwan’s retreat from escalating tensions with China, as demonstrated by President Lai Ching-te’s pledge on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, not to provoke Beijing or escalate tensions, while China began its second day of military exercises simulating a blockade of Taiwan’s main ports.
