Background on Taiwan and its Relationship with China
Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China (ROC), is a democratic island with its own government, military, and currency. It is recognized by only a dozen countries, with the United States being its primary arms supplier and security partner. In recent months, tensions have escalated due to the U.S. approving a $11.1 billion arms sale to Taiwan, which angered the Chinese government.
China’s Military Exercises: “Mission Justice 2025”
On Monday, China initiated real-fire military drills around Taiwan, simulating the blockade of key ports of this democratic island, which China claims as its own territory. The exercises, named “Mission Justice 2025,” involve destroyers, frigates, soldiers, bombers, and drones conducting live-fire training against maritime targets north and southwest of Taiwan, according to the Chinese military.
The drills focus on maritime-land combat capabilities, joint large-scale superiority, port blockades, and key areas, as stated by Colonel Shi Yi, spokesperson for the Chinese military’s Eastern Theater Command.
Taiwan’s Response and International Reactions
Following the start of the exercises, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned that any attempt to obstruct Taiwan’s unification with China is “destined for failure.” The spokesperson, Lin Jian, stated that external forces attempting to use Taiwan to contain China and arming Taiwan would only fuel Taiwanese independence sentiments and push the Taiwan Strait towards a dangerous brink of imminent war.
Journalists from AFP in Pingtan, a Chinese island close to Taiwan’s main island, observed two fighter jets flying overhead and a distant Chinese military vessel. However, unaware tourists continued taking photos.
U.S. President Donald Trump downplayed concerns about the drills, stating he had no worries and that Chinese President Xi Jinping had not mentioned any plans for an invasion to him.
“Intimidation Military”
The EPL displayed a map with five large zones around Taiwan where these real-fire drills would take place on Tuesday, urging any non-related ships or aircraft to avoid the mentioned waters and airspace. Some of these zones are less than 12 nautical miles from Taiwan’s coast, affecting international maritime and air transportation routes.
More than 100,000 passengers and 857 flights (domestic, international, and transit) will be impacted, according to Taiwanese authorities. Presidential spokesperson Karen Kuo condemned these drills as military intimidation.
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense reported detecting 89 Chinese military aircraft near its territory, the highest number in a single day since October 2024. They also recorded the presence of 28 warships and coastguard vessels, as well as an amphibious assault ship operating in the Western Pacific.
Taiwan’s military claimed it had deployed “appropriate forces” for a rapid response exercise. The Ministry of National Defense described China’s drills as confirming its aggressive nature, making it the biggest disruptor of peace.
“Firm Warning”
In recent years, China has increased pressure on Taiwan diplomatically, economically, and militarily—regularly sending aircraft and vessels around the island and occasionally conducting large-scale exercises. Relations with Taipei deteriorated following the Democratic Progressive Party’s rise to power in 2016, with current President Lai Ching-te considering Taiwan a sovereign nation.
Colonel Shi Yi stated that the drills serve as a “firm warning against Taiwan’s separatist forces seeking independence.” A poster and AI-generated video from the Chinese military depict “arrows of justice” falling on green worms outlining Taiwan’s geography, with various animals transforming into Chinese military equipment and launching a maritime and air attack on the island.
China’s state-run television network, CCTV, reported that a central theme of the drills is blocking Taiwan’s ports, including Keelung in the north and Kaohsiung in the south.
