China Launches Major War Games Around Taiwan
The drills mark China’s sixth major round of military exercises around Taiwan since 2022, following heightened tensions after high-profile foreign support for Taiwan.
The maps showing the South China Sea and the Weat Philippine Sea are seen at the venue for a press conference on the recent collision between two Chinese vessels in the disputed South China Sea, in Manila, Philippine, on August 18, 2025. Photo by Anadolu Images.
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hina has launched large-scale live-fire military exercises around Taiwan, deploying warships, fighter jets, troops, and artillery in drills that Taiwan says threaten regional stability and democracy.
According to China’s Eastern Theatre Command, the exercises—named “Justice Mission 2025”—include live firing, simulated strikes on land and maritime targets, and drills aimed at blockading Taiwan’s major ports and encircling the island. The drills are taking place north and southwest of the Taiwan Strait and are set to continue for at least two days.
Taiwan responded by mobilizing its military, placing forces on high alert and conducting “rapid response exercises” designed to counter a sudden attack. Taiwan’s defense ministry also released footage showcasing its weapons, including U.S.-made HIMARS rocket systems, which could strike targets across the strait in China’s Fujian province if conflict erupted.
A senior Taiwanese security official said dozens of Chinese ships and aircraft were operating around the island, with some vessels deliberately approaching Taiwan’s contiguous zone, just 24 nautical miles from its coast.
China’s sixth major of military exercise around Taiwan
This marks China’s sixth major round of military exercises around Taiwan since 2022, following heightened tensions after high-profile foreign support for Taiwan and 11 days after the United States announced a record $11.1 billion arms package for the island. Beijing condemned the arms sale and warned it would take “forceful measures” in response.
Chinese officials said the drills were meant as a warning to “Taiwan independence separatist forces” and foreign interference, while analysts warned that such exercises increasingly blur the line between routine training and preparations for an actual attack—potentially reducing warning time for the U.S. and its allies.
Taiwan’s coast guard and aviation authorities said they were working to minimize disruption to shipping routes, fishing areas, and air traffic, after China designated temporary danger zones for live-fire exercises near Taiwanese airspace.
(Source: Reuters)
