China’s latest military exercise around Taiwan at the end of December 2025 underscores how the Taiwan Strait remains one of the world’s most volatile geopolitical fault lines. The drill, coming amid renewed U.S. arms sales to Taipei and sharper regional rhetoric, reflects Beijing’s effort to combine military signalling with political deterrence.
What were the latest PLA drills about?
From December 29–30, 2025, China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) conducted a large-scale exercise around Taiwan codenamed “Justice Mission-2025”. According to China’s Ministry of National Defence (MND), the objective was to safeguard China’s sovereignty and national unity, while warning “Taiwanese separatist forces” and external actors against interference.
The exercise focused on naval and air combat readiness, blockade of key ports and territories, and what the PLA described as “three-dimensional external line deterrence” involving land, sea, and air forces. On the first day, around 130 air sorties were conducted, with about 90 crossing the Taiwan Strait’s median line. The second day saw long-range rocket firing, with 10 rockets landing inside Taiwan’s contiguous zone — the closest such firing has ever come to Taiwan-controlled waters.
Why China frames Taiwan as a security issue
China considers Taiwan a breakaway province and part of its sovereign territory. Any move by Taipei towards formal independence, or increased foreign military support to Taiwan, is treated by Beijing as a red line. China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs explicitly described “Justice Mission-2025” as a deterrent against separatist forces, reinforcing its long-standing position that the Taiwan issue is an internal matter.
How these drills fit into a wider pattern
The December 2025 exercise is not an isolated event but part of an escalating pattern of PLA activity around Taiwan. Major precedents include:
- In 2022, after then U.S. Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, China conducted unprecedented drills involving aircraft carrier groups, nuclear submarines, and missile launches.
- In April 2023, large-scale exercises followed then Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen’s meeting with U.S. Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
- In August 2023, smaller drills coincided with diplomatic travel by Taiwan’s Vice President William Lai Ching-te.
- After William Lai’s election victory, large-scale exercises were conducted in the East China Sea.
- In April 2025, the “Strait Thunder-2025A” drill focused on blockade, destruction, and paralysis, according to the PLA Eastern Theatre Command.
“Justice Mission-2025” must be read as part of this evolving strategy of coercive signalling rather than preparation for immediate conflict.
The U.S. arms sale backdrop
The timing of the drill is significant. It follows the United States administration under Donald Trump announcing a proposed $11-billion arms package for Taiwan, pending Congressional approval. The deal reportedly includes self-propelled howitzers, advanced rocket launchers, and missile systems.
Beijing views such arms sales as a violation of the “One China” principle and a direct provocation, reinforcing its narrative of foreign interference in cross-strait affairs.
Taiwan’s domestic and military response
Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council condemned the PLA drills as “provocative and coercive”. Taipei has also proposed a multi-layered air defence architecture known as the “T-Dome”, aimed at strengthening missile and air defence capabilities.
However, progress remains slow. Taiwan’s political system is divided: the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which favours a strong assertion of Taiwan’s sovereignty, controls the Executive Yuan. In contrast, the Legislative Yuan is dominated by the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), which are more cautious about provoking Beijing. This political incongruence has stalled key defence legislation.
International reactions and regional fallout
While Washington publicly downplayed the drills, other actors expressed concern. The European Commission warned that such exercises heighten cross-strait tensions and threaten international peace and stability.
China has also pointed to growing foreign involvement as justification for its actions. This includes recent statements by Japan’s newly elected Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who described a Chinese attack on Taiwan as a survival-threatening situation for Japan. Beijing reacted sharply, calling the remarks unacceptable and demanding a retraction.
Why the Taiwan Strait matters globally
The Taiwan Strait is central to global trade, semiconductor supply chains, and Indo-Pacific security. PLA exercises that rehearse blockades or precision strikes raise concerns not just for Taiwan, but for regional stability and global economic security. Each round of drills normalises higher levels of military activity, increasing the risk of miscalculation.
What to note for Prelims?
- PLA: armed forces of China.
- China claims Taiwan as part of its sovereign territory.
- Taiwan Strait median line is an informal buffer.
- U.S. arms sales to Taiwan are a recurring trigger for PLA drills.
What to note for Mains?
- Use of military exercises as coercive diplomacy by China.
- Impact of domestic politics in Taiwan on defence preparedness.
- Role of external actors (U.S., Japan, EU) in cross-strait tensions.
- Implications of Taiwan Strait instability for Indo-Pacific security.
