Taipei/Beijing, Dec 31 — Taiwan remained on heightened alert Wednesday after China concluded large-scale military exercises near the island, keeping its emergency maritime response centers active while monitoring Chinese naval movements.
The exercises, dubbed “Justice Mission 2025,” involved dozens of rockets fired toward Taiwan and the deployment of a significant number of warships and aircraft in the surrounding waters, marking one of the largest displays of force by China in the region.
China announced the drills’ completion late Wednesday, while emphasizing that its armed forces would maintain high readiness and continue strengthening combat preparedness. In his New Year address, President Xi Jinping reiterated Beijing’s stance on Taiwan, calling for national reunification and warning against separatist forces.
Taiwan condemned the exercises as provocative and a threat to regional stability. Authorities confirmed that Chinese ships are withdrawing from waters near the island. Taiwan’s Ocean Affairs Council reported that all 11 Chinese coast guard vessels had departed the immediate area, though the military and coast guard’s emergency operations remain on alert.
Over the past 24 hours, Taiwan’s defense ministry tracked 77 Chinese military aircraft and 25 naval and coast guard vessels operating in the vicinity, including 35 aircraft crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait. The extensive maneuvers disrupted dozens of domestic flights and prompted rapid-response drills, including barricade deployment and emergency exercises.
China described the war games as a necessary measure to protect sovereignty and national security, framing them as a warning against Taiwan independence movements and foreign interference. Analysts note that while Beijing’s military demonstrations are significant, the likelihood of immediate military conflict remains low due to the high political and economic costs involved.
The exercises coincided with a meeting in Beijing of ambassadors from the Quad countries—Australia, India, Japan, and the U.S.—as the grouping seeks to maintain security and a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Taiwan continues to reject China’s territorial claims and maintains its democratic governance, even as tensions along the Taiwan Strait remain elevated.
