On the 29th, the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army released a diagram of a military drill encircling Taiwan, according to Weibo. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army has begun a training exercise involving ground, naval, air, and rocket forces to encircle Taiwan. This exercise is viewed as a strong warning against “Taiwan independence and external interference” amidst ongoing tensions between China, Japan, and the United States over Taiwan issues.
The spokesperson for the Eastern Theater Command announced via Weibo that starting on the same day, forces from the ground, navy, air, and rocket units of the Eastern Theater Command will be mobilized to conduct the ‘2025 Justice Mission’ exercise across the Taiwan Strait and in the northern, southwestern, southeastern, and eastern areas around Taiwan.
Specifically, on the 30th, from 8 AM to 6 PM local time, important military drills, including live-fire exercises, will take place in five maritime and aerial regions surrounding Taiwan.
The spokesperson emphasized the focus on readiness patrols by naval and air forces, seizing comprehensive control, blocking major ports and areas, and intercepting external forces. The objective is to test the joint operational capabilities of the Eastern Theater Command units through joint assault exercises from multiple directions towards Taiwan.
Furthermore, it was asserted that this represents a strong warning to Taiwan’s independence forces and external interference, as well as a legitimate and necessary action to protect national sovereignty and unity.
Last year in May, only three days after the inauguration of Taiwan’s president Lai Ching-te, known for his anti-China and pro-independence stance, the Chinese military conducted the ‘Lijian-2024A’ exercise to encircle and blockade Taiwan. This was followed by a similar ‘Lijian-2024B’ exercise in October of the same year. In April of the current year, after President Lai referred to China as a hostile force, the military conducted the ‘Strait Rating-2025A’ exercise aimed at warning Taiwanese independence forces.