The ‘Justice Mission-2025’ includes long-range live-fire exercises north and south of the island.
On Tuesday, Lin Jian, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry, defended the People’s Liberation Army’s military drills around Taiwan and criticized the stance adopted by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
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“The PLA’s drills are a punitive and deterrent action against separatist forces who seek ‘Taiwan independence’ through military buildup, and a necessary move to safeguard China’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said.
“To advance their separatist agenda, the DPP authorities are turning Taiwan into a powder keg. Their massive and desperate arms purchases further reveal their true nature as provocateurs, saboteurs of peace and warmongers.”
“Anyone who tries to arm Taiwan to contain China will only embolden the separatists and push the Taiwan Strait closer to the peril of armed conflict,” Lin warned.
“The Taiwan question is at the very core of China’s core interests. Nothing will deter China from defending national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity. Anyone who crosses the line or makes provocations on the question will be met with China’s firm response. All attempts to hold back China’s reunification will invariably fail,” he concluded.
🇨🇳 China encircled 🇹🇼 Taiwan in its largest-ever military drills, the closest yet to the island. The exercises began 11 days after the 🇺🇸 announced a record $11.1B arms package for Taiwan, sharply raising regional tensions.#China #Taiwan #PLA #US #IndoPacific #BreakingNews pic.twitter.com/uMgHcGfZW8
— @Conflict_Eye_Official (@Conflict_X_Eye) December 30, 2025
Military Drills Included Long-Range Live Fire
On Tuesday, China stepped up military pressure on Taiwan on the second and final day of the “Justice Mission-2025” maneuvers, with long-range live-fire exercises north and south of the island.
The Eastern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army said live ammunition was fired starting at 9 a.m. in waters north of Taiwan and, four hours later, another similar drill was carried out to the south, along with a simulated long-range joint strike involving Navy, Air Force and Rocket Force units.
Images posted on Weibo showed a multiple-launch rocket system, believed to be the PHL-16, firing salvos that struck the sea.
According to the military command, destroyers, frigates, fighter jets and bombers were deployed Tuesday to conduct simulated attack and assault drills against maritime targets, as well as air defense and anti-submarine operations north and south of the island, aimed at testing air-sea coordination capabilities and “integrated blockade and control.”
The command also reported exercises east of Taiwan focused on multidimensional force projection and the seizure of key ports.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi pledged firm countermeasures against provocations by Taiwan independence forces and against U.S. arms sales to Taipei. He also said Taiwan is “an internal matter of China” and that U.S. arms sales “fuel tensions” in the strait.
#FMsays FM spokesman Lin Jian said on Tuesday the People’s Liberation Army drills in areas near the #Taiwan island are punitive and deterrent actions against separatist forces seeking “Taiwan independence” through military buildup. His remarks came after comments by US President… pic.twitter.com/H0gSeuXnI6
— China Daily (@ChinaDaily) December 30, 2025
Taiwan Government Urges Calm
Taiwan confirmed the live-fire drills and said the projectiles, fired by long-range PLA artillery deployed in China’s Fujian province, landed near the 24-nautical-mile line off its coast.
Taiwan Defense Minister Wellington Koo oversaw the response from the Joint Operations Command Center. He also confirmed that between 6 a.m. Monday and 6 a.m. Tuesday, Taiwanese authorities detected 130 military aircraft, 14 warships and eight Chinese vessels operating nearby.
Taiwan President William Lai urged the public to “remain calm” and said the armed forces would act “responsibly” and “without escalating the conflict.”
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump played down the Chinese drills, recalling that Beijing has been conducting naval exercises in the area for “20 years.” He added that Chinese President Xi Jinping “has not told him anything” about them
#FromTheSouth News Bits | China: The Foreign Affairs Ministry called the United States detention of a Venezuelan oil tanker arbitrary and a serious violation of international law. pic.twitter.com/IJKMpCJccn
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 25, 2025
teleSUR/ JF
Sources: EFE – Xinhua
From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.
So we are supposed to be sympathetic to the power doing offensive wargames of an authoritarian state off the coast of a peaceful democracy? This reads like some tankie bullshit
