On Tuesday, China fired rockets at Taiwan and sent a new amphibious assault ship, accompanied by warships and bombers, as part of its extensive military drills. This marked the second day of exercises aimed at simulating a blockade of the island.
The Eastern Theater Command reported that live-fire drills would be conducted across five different sea and airspace zones surrounding Taiwan and along the Chinese coast until 6 PM local time. Various naval and air operations focused on attacking maritime and aerial targets, as well as anti-submarine exercises in the north and south of Taiwan, which is governed democratically.
This exercise, named “Justice Mission 2025,” commenced shortly after the United States disclosed a record $11.1 billion in weapons support for Taiwan. Notably, this was Beijing’s most expansive military exercise to date in terms of scope and distance from the island, especially after two new live-fire zones were established on Monday by the China Maritime Security Administration.
A senior security official in Taiwan conveyed to Reuters that they were closely monitoring whether China would fire missiles over the island, recalling similar actions taken during a major military drill back in 2022, which followed a visit from then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
The official suggested that the drills could also be serving as training for hitting land-based targets, specifically mentioning the U.S.-made HIMARS rocket system, which can strike targets in southern China from a considerable distance.
President Lai Ching-de of Taiwan commented on Facebook, criticizing China’s military maneuvers as inconsistent with the actions expected from a responsible major power. He reassured that Taiwan’s front-line forces were prepared to defend the island but emphasized a desire to avoid escalating tensions.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense acknowledged that a live-fire exercise was conducted in the northern part of the island on Tuesday morning, which caused some debris to drift into a 24-nautical-mile-contiguous zone. However, Reuters could not confirm if additional rockets were fired in other designated regions during the drill.
A Taiwan Coast Guard officer noted that 14 Chinese Coast Guard vessels continued to operate near Taiwan’s contiguous zone, leading to instances of standoffs with Taiwanese ships. The officer described a cooperative navigation strategy where both sides monitored each other’s movements closely.
The Defense Ministry reported that within the 24-hour period leading up to 6 AM, approximately 130 Chinese military aircraft and 22 naval vessels were active around the island.
Demonstration of strength
Recently, Beijing intensified its rhetoric concerning its claims over Taiwan, especially after comments made by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, which implied that a Chinese offensive could provoke a military reaction from Japan.
On Tuesday, Chinese state media also echoed this sentiment, releasing propaganda including an illustration titled “The Hammer of Justice,” showing Taiwanese President Lai being struck by massive hammers on both sides of the island.
Additionally, media outlets highlighted the deployment of the Type 075 amphibious assault ship, noted for its capability to launch a variety of vehicles and aircraft for amphibious assaults. Further, the Chinese military produced an AI-generated video depicting futuristic military robots and drones engaging in attacks against an island.
Chinese media published maps outlining the encirclement training around the island, indicating the areas allocated for live-fire exercises. Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense revealed that five out of the seven demarcated areas for these drills intersect with Taiwan’s own territorial waters.
China’s ambitions towards 2027
On Tuesday, China’s military declared that destroyers, bombers, and various troops were involved in training focused on maritime assault, air defense, and anti-submarine operations.
The exercises aimed to test collaborative capabilities between the Navy and Air Force for integrated control over the region.
The Eastern Theater Command announced that the training simulated a blockade scenario centered on Kaohsiung, Taiwan’s largest port city, and Keelung Port in the north.
A recent Pentagon draft indicated that China aims to effectively engage in and prevail in a conflict with Taiwan by the end of 2027, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army, which holds significant symbolic value for President Xi Jinping’s military modernization agenda.
However, issues related to military preparedness have been raised, particularly due to Xi’s extensive anti-corruption efforts within the military, which saw the ousting of eight generals last October. Despite robust growth in military budgets over the past thirty years, defense company revenues reportedly dropped by 10% last year.
Nonetheless, the Pentagon report noted that China is considering a forceful takeover of Taiwan if necessary, potentially extending 1,500 to 2,000 nautical miles away from its coast.
