The Chinese People’s Liberation Army announced on Monday that it would hold large-scale military exercises around Taiwan this week, international news agencies reported. Land, air, sea and missile units take part in the exercises, which are called: Mission Justice 2025 wear. Shooting exercises with live ammunition will take place on Tuesday in five designated zones around the island, which is considered a renegade province by China. According to Reuters, sea and air space restrictions apply in those areas for ten hours.
Beijing calls the exercises a “serious warning” to supporters of Taiwanese independence and to foreign powers meddling in the issue. According to the military, the exercises are intended to test combat readiness, strengthen control of sea and airspace and practice closing key ports and areas.
Taiwan has condemned the announced exercises and called them “military intimidation”. According to a spokesperson for the Taiwanese president, China’s actions are ignoring international law and putting pressure on neighboring countries. The Taiwanese Ministry of Defense reports that additional units have been deployed and that troops have already conducted a rapid response exercise.
Japan and the United States
The Chinese announcement follows rising tensions between China and Japan. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in parliament in early November that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could prompt a military response from Japan. Beijing reacted angrily to those statements and summoned the Japanese ambassador.
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The United States also plays a role in the increased tensions around Taiwan. In mid-December, Washington announced that it would sell weapons to Taiwan for $11.1 billion, the largest arms package ever for the island. In response, China said it would take “strong countermeasures” and last week imposed sanctions on 20 US defense companies.
This week’s drills are the sixth major round of Chinese military exercises around Taiwan since 2022, when a visit by then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi led to similar large-scale exercises.
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