China launches 2 days of live-fire military drills around Taiwan

China launched live-fire drills astir Taiwan connected Monday that it said would simulate a blockade of the self-ruled island's cardinal ports, prompting Taipei to condemn Beijing's "military intimidation."

The drills "further corroborate (China's) quality arsenic an aggressor, making it the top destroyer of peace," Taipei's defence ministry said.

Taiwan's subject said it had established a effect center, deployed "appropriate forces" and "carried retired a accelerated effect exercise."

A vessel fires a limb during drills eastbound of Taiwan successful this screenshot from a video released by the Eastern Theater Command of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) connected Dec. 29, 2025. (China's Army's) Eastern Theater Command / Handout via REUTERS

Beijing claims Taiwan arsenic portion of its sovereign territory and has refused to regularisation retired utilizing subject enactment to prehend the land democracy.  
The latest amusement of unit by Beijing follows the announcement earlier this period of a grounds bundle of arms income to Taiwan of much than $10 cardinal by the United States, Taiwan's main information backer, and Japan's premier minister, Sanae Takaichi, saying its subject could get progressive if China were to determination against Taiwan. But the Chinese subject didn't bring up the U.S. oregon Japan successful its connection Monday morning.

China said it was conducting "live-fire grooming connected maritime targets to the northbound and southwest of Taiwan" successful large-scale exercises involving destroyers, frigates, fighters, bombers and drones.

A subject spokesperson said earlier that Beijing would nonstop army, navy, aerial unit and rocket unit troops for "major subject drills" code-named "Justice Mission 2025."

A pistillate works successful a noodle store adjacent a tv surface successful successful Taipei, Taiwan, showing a quality study connected China's "Justice Mission 2025" subject drills astir Taiwan connected Dec. 29, 2025. Tsai Hsin-Han / REUTERS

The activities volition absorption connected "sea-air combat readiness patrol, associated seizure of broad superiority, blockade connected cardinal ports and areas, arsenic good arsenic all-dimensional deterrence extracurricular the land chain," said Senior Colonel Shi Yi of the People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theater Command.

Chinese authorities besides published a representation of 5 ample zones astir Taiwan wherever further live-fire activities would instrumentality spot for 10 hours connected Tuesday.

"For the involvement of safety, immoderate irrelevant vas oregon craft is advised not to participate the afore-mentioned waters and airspace," the connection said.

Taiwan Presidential Office spokeswoman Karen Kuo condemned China's "disregard for planetary norms and the usage of subject intimidation to endanger neighboring countries."

Taipei said Monday it had detected 4 Chinese coastguard ships sailing disconnected its bluish and eastbound coasts.

Its coastguard said it "immediately deployed ample vessels to pre-position responses successful applicable areas" and "sent further enactment units."

• Taiwan
• China