On this photograph launched by Xinhua Information Company, Chinese language President Xi Jinping, additionally chairman of the Central Navy Fee (CMC), entrance row second from left, poses with different army officers after selling to generals, again row, from left, Yang Zhibin of the Japanese Theater Command and Han Shengyan commander of Central Theater Command in Beijing on Monday, Dec. 22, 2025.
Li Gang/AP/Xinhua
conceal caption
toggle caption
Li Gang/AP/Xinhua
HONG KONG — China’s army on Monday dispatched air, navy and rocket troops to conduct joint army drills across the island of Taiwan, a transfer Beijing known as a “stern warning” towards separatist and “exterior interference” forces. Taiwan mentioned it was putting its forces on alert and known as the Chinese language authorities “the most important destroyer of peace.”
The drills got here after Beijing expressed anger at U.S. arms gross sales to the territory and a press release by Japan’s prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, saying its army might get entangled if China had been to take motion towards Taiwan, the self-governing island that the world’s second-biggest economic system says should come beneath its rule. However the Chinese language army didn’t point out the US and Japan in its assertion on Monday morning.
Taiwan’s Protection Ministry mentioned in a submit on X that fast response workouts had been underway, with forces on excessive alert to defend the island. In a separate assertion, it mentioned it had deployed acceptable forces in response, conducting fight readiness drills.
“The Chinese language Communist Get together’s focused army workouts additional affirm its nature as an aggressor and the most important destroyer of peace,” the ministry mentioned.
Senior Col. Shi Yi, spokesperson of China’s Folks’s Liberation Military’s Japanese Theater Command, mentioned the drills could be performed within the Taiwan Strait and areas to the north, southwest, southeast and east of the island.
Shi mentioned the actions will give attention to sea-air fight readiness patrol, “joint seizure of complete superiority” and blockades on key ports. It was additionally the primary large-scale army drill the place the command publicly talked about one of many targets was “all-dimensional deterrence exterior the island chain.”
“It’s a stern warning towards ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces and exterior interference forces, and it’s a reputable and needed motion to safeguard China’s sovereignty and nationwide unity,” Shi mentioned.
China and Taiwan have been ruled individually since 1949, when a civil conflict introduced the Communist Get together to energy in Beijing. Defeated Nationalist Get together forces fled to Taiwan. The island has operated since then with its personal authorities, although the mainland’s authorities claims it as sovereign territory.
Stay firing workouts scheduled for Tuesday
The command mentioned it was utilizing fighters, bombers and unmanned aerial automobiles in coordination with long-range rocket launches to conduct drills within the sea and airspace within the center areas of the Taiwan Strait on Monday, specializing in placing cellular floor targets. They’re supposed to check the troops’ capabilities of precision strikes on key targets, it mentioned.
It additionally mentioned main army drills had been scheduled to occur between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Tuesday, saying it could manage stay firing actions then, and its workouts would cowl 5 areas across the island.
The command launched themed posters in regards to the drills on-line accompanied by provocative wording. One poster depicted two shields with the Nice Wall alongside three army plane and two ships. Its social media submit mentioned the drills had been in regards to the “Protect of Justice, Smashing Phantasm,” including that any overseas interlopers or separatists touching the shields could be eradicated.
Final week, Beijing imposed sanctions towards 20 U.S. defense-related corporations and 10 executives, every week after Washington introduced large-scale arms gross sales to Taiwan valued at greater than $10 billion. If authorized by the U.S. Congress, it could be the largest-ever American weapons bundle to the self-ruled territory.
Underneath U.S. federal regulation in place for a few years, Washington is obligated to help Taipei with its protection, some extent that has change into more and more contentious with China. The U.S. and Taiwan had formal diplomatic relations till 1979, when President Jimmy Carter’s administration acknowledged and established relations with Beijing.
Taiwanese military on excessive alert
Monday’s drills heightened tensions on each side. Karen Kuo, spokesperson for the Taiwanese president’s workplace, mentioned the operation was undermining the steadiness and safety of the Taiwan Strait and Indo-Pacific area and overtly difficult worldwide regulation and order.
“Our nation strongly condemns the Chinese language authorities for disregarding worldwide norms and utilizing army intimidation to threaten neighboring international locations.” she mentioned.
Beijing sends warplanes and navy vessels towards the island on a near-daily foundation, and in recent times it has stepped up the scope and scale of those workouts. In October, the Taiwanese authorities mentioned it could speed up the constructing of a “Taiwan Protect” or “T-Dome” air protection system within the face of the army menace from China.
The army tensions got here a day after Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an mentioned he hoped the Taiwan Strait could be related to peace and prosperity, as an alternative of “crashing waves and howling winds,” throughout a visit to Shanghai.
