BEIJING: China announced “major” military exercises around Taiwan on Monday, saying it would conduct live-fire drills the following day across five zones in waters and airspace near the island.

The latest drills follow a bumper round of arms sales to Taipei by Washington, Taiwan’s main security backer.

China will send army, navy, air force and rocket force troops to conduct “major military drills” code-named “Justice Mission”, said Colonel Shi Yi, spokesman for the Peoples Liberation Army.

The activities will focus on “sea-air combat readiness patrol, joint seizure of comprehensive superiority, blockade on key ports and areas, as well as all-dimensional deterrence outside the island chain”, Shi said.

A separate statement with a map showed five large zones surrounding the island where “live firing activities will be organised” on Tuesday.

“For the sake of safety, any irrelevant vessel or aircraft is advised not to enter the aforementioned waters and airspace,” the statement said.

Joint assaults

The drills are “a stern warning against Taiwan independence separatist forces, and... a legitimate and necessary action to safeguard China’s sovereignty and national unity”, Shi said.

Plans involve vessels “approaching the Taiwan island in close proximity from different directions”, he said.

The “joint assaults” are intended to “test their joint operations capabilities”, he added.

China’s military last held drills involving live firing around Taiwan in April.

Published in Dawn, December 30th, 2025