China on Tuesday stepped up military pressure on Taiwan by launching rockets in the island’s direction and deploying a wide range of naval and air assets as part of its largest-ever military exercises around the self-ruled territory. The drills, now in their second day, included the movement of amphibious assault ships, bomber aircraft, warships and coastguard vessels, signalling a rehearsal of a potential blockade scenario.
The Eastern Theatre Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army said that live-fire exercises would continue until 6 pm local time (1000 GMT) across five designated zones in the sea and airspace surrounding Taiwan and along China’s coast. According to the command, naval and air force units were carrying out coordinated drills involving strikes on maritime and aerial targets, as well as anti-submarine operations in waters north and south of the island.
The exercises, named “Justice Mission 2025”, began less than two weeks after the United States announced a record $11.1 billion arms package for Taiwan. Chinese authorities described the drills as the most extensive to date in terms of scale, geographic spread and proximity to Taiwan. China’s Maritime Safety Administration also expanded the number of live-fire zones on Monday, underlining the scope of the operation.
A senior Taiwanese security official told Reuters that Taipei was closely monitoring whether Beijing would again fire missiles over Taiwan, as it did during the 2022 drills following a visit by then US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The official said China appeared to be practising attacks on land-based military targets, including the US-supplied HIMARS rocket systems, which have a range of roughly 300 kilometres and could strike coastal areas in southern China.
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te condemned the exercises, calling them inconsistent with the behaviour expected of a responsible global power. In a Facebook post, he said Taiwan’s frontline forces were on full alert and prepared to defend the island, while stressing that Taipei had no intention of escalating tensions.
Taiwan’s defence ministry confirmed that live-fire drills had taken place to the island’s north on Tuesday morning and that debris from the exercises had entered Taiwan’s contiguous zone, which extends 24 nautical miles from its coast. Reuters was unable to independently verify whether China had also launched rockets in all the designated exercise zones.
The military activity has raised concerns about regional stability, as Taiwan lies along some of the world’s busiest commercial shipping and aviation routes. Roughly $2.45 trillion in trade passes through the Taiwan Strait each year, and the airspace above the island is a vital corridor linking China with East and Southeast Asia. Although 11 of Taiwan’s 14 flight routes were affected by the drills, aviation officials said international flights continued largely uninterrupted, with aircraft rerouted through alternative corridors.
Meanwhile, Chinese coastguard vessels continued to operate near Taiwan’s waters. According to Taiwanese officials, 14 Chinese ships were detected near the island’s contiguous zone, some of them engaging in close manoeuvres with Taiwanese vessels. The coast guard said it employed parallel navigation tactics and manoeuvring measures to deter the Chinese ships from advancing further.
Taiwan’s defence ministry reported that 130 Chinese military aircraft and 22 naval and coastguard vessels were active around the island in the 24 hours leading up to Tuesday morning, underscoring the intensity of the operation.
Beijing has also stepped up its propaganda campaign alongside the drills. Chinese state media released posters and videos portraying Taiwan’s leadership as targets of military force, including imagery titled “Hammers of Justice” showing symbolic strikes against the island. State outlets also highlighted the first operational deployment of the Type 075 amphibious assault ship, a vessel capable of launching helicopters, landing craft, armoured vehicles and amphibious tanks.
The Chinese military also released an AI-generated video showing robotic systems, drones and automated combat units attacking the island, reinforcing the message of technological preparedness. Maps published by Chinese media indicated that several of the designated live-fire zones overlapped with Taiwan’s territorial waters.
According to the Eastern Theatre Command, the drills are intended to test coordination between naval and air forces and to practise “integrated containment and control” operations. Chinese officials said the exercises included simulations of blockading key ports, including Keelung in the north and Kaohsiung in the south, both vital to Taiwan’s economy.
The latest show of force comes amid heightened rhetoric from Beijing following remarks by Japan’s Prime Minister suggesting Tokyo could respond militarily in the event of a Chinese attack on Taiwan. Chinese analysts have also linked the exercises to long-term military planning goals, including President Xi Jinping’s stated objective of ensuring the PLA is capable of taking Taiwan by 2027.
A recent draft Pentagon report cited by Reuters noted that China believes it could be prepared to fight and win a war over Taiwan by that year. However, questions remain over the PLA’s readiness following corruption scandals that have led to the removal of senior officers and declining revenues at major defence firms.
Despite those challenges, Beijing continues to demonstrate its ability to project power far beyond its coastline. Analysts say the current drills suggest China is refining its capacity to impose a maritime and air blockade around Taiwan and, if necessary, carry out large-scale amphibious operations as part of a broader military campaign.
