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China Launches Massive War Games Around Taiwan, Fires Rockets
China conducts its largest Taiwan war games yet, firing rockets, deploying assault ships, and simulating blockades amid U.S. arms support for Taipei. Taiwan pledges defense but seeks de-escalation.
MH
by Muhammad Hashir
2025-12-30
China Launches Massive War Games Around Taiwan, Fires Rockets

China carried out extensive military exercises around Taiwan on Tuesday, firing rockets into waters north and south of the island, showcasing new amphibious assault ships, and simulating strikes on maritime and land targets in its most expansive drills to date.

Named "Justice Mission 2025", the 10-hour live-fire exercises by the Chinese Eastern Theatre Command included anti-submarine drills and air force simulations, as state media highlighted China’s technological and military capabilities. The exercises come 11 days after the U.S. approved an $11.1 billion arms package to Taiwan, which Beijing condemned as a provocation.

For the first time, China explicitly stated that the drills aimed to deter foreign intervention. "Any external forces that attempt to intervene in the Taiwan issue or interfere in China's internal affairs will surely smash their heads bloody against the iron walls of the Chinese People's Liberation Army," said China’s Taiwan Affairs Office.

The Chinese drills come amid heightened regional tensions following remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi about possible military involvement should Taiwan be attacked. Chinese leader Xi Jinping also recently promoted the commander of the Eastern Theatre Command to full general, signaling increased combat readiness.

Taiwan’s Response
Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te assured that frontline troops are prepared to defend the island but emphasized that Taipei does not seek escalation. According to Taiwan’s defense ministry, 71 Chinese military aircraft and 24 naval/coast guard vessels were involved, with 27 rockets fired into Taiwanese waters. Some flight routes were blocked, affecting about 6,000 passengers.

Taiwanese security sources suggested that China appeared to simulate attacks on U.S.-made HIMARS rocket systems, highlighting the PLA’s focus on neutralizing Taiwan’s defensive capabilities.

Show of Force
State media emphasized China’s first deployment of the Type 075 amphibious assault ship, capable of launching helicopters, landing craft, amphibious tanks, and armored vehicles simultaneously. Propaganda imagery portrayed Taiwan under symbolic attack from the drills.

Analysts note that these exercises signal China’s preparation to seize Taiwan by force if necessary, with U.S. military assessments indicating that Beijing could be aiming for military readiness by 2027, the centenary of the PLA’s founding.

Lyle Goldstein, director at the U.S.-based think tank Defense Priorities, said, “China not only has vast numerical superiority, it now has qualitative superiority across the board in weaponry and probably in training as well. This is an arms race Taiwan cannot possibly win.”

Strategic Implications
Taiwan sits along critical shipping and aviation routes with $2.45 trillion in annual trade passing through the Taiwan Strait. The drills included simulated blockades of the ports of Keelung and Kaohsiung, highlighting the potential impact on regional trade and security.

While U.S. President Donald Trump downplayed the drills, emphasizing his good relationship with Xi Jinping and noting that China has conducted naval exercises around Taiwan for two decades, analysts warn that these exercises underscore escalating tensions in the Taiwan Strait, with global economic and security implications.
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