Beijing’s Show of Force: China Launches Major Drills Around Taiwan

 

A ship fires a weapon during drills east of Taiwan in this screenshot from a video released by the Eastern Theater Command of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Dec. 29, 2025.

China has initiated large‑scale military exercises around Taiwan, framing the operation as a direct warning to what it calls separatist forces and foreign supporters. The drills, conducted by the Eastern Theatre Command, involve naval vessels, fighter jets, and missile units operating across multiple zones encircling the island.

According to Chinese military statements, the exercises are designed to test joint combat readiness and simulate scenarios such as blockades and precision strikes. The move follows heightened tensions over international engagement with Taiwan, including recent arms sales and diplomatic exchanges that Beijing views as challenges to its sovereignty claims.

Taiwan’s defense ministry denounced the drills as coercive and destabilizing, placing its military on alert and tracking Chinese aircraft and ships in real time. Officials in Taipei emphasized that Taiwan will continue to safeguard its democratic system and maintain regional stability.

The latest show of force adds to a pattern of escalating military pressure in the Taiwan Strait, raising concerns among neighboring countries and global observers about the risk of miscalculation in one of Asia’s most sensitive flashpoints.