China\u2019s military on Monday announced the launch of extensive joint military drills involving air, naval and rocket forces around Taiwan, describing the exercises as a \u201cstern warning\u201d to separatist movements and what it called \u201cexternal interference\u201d in the Taiwan issue.<\/p>\n
The People\u2019s Liberation Army (PLA) said the drills, code-named \u201cJustice Mission 2025,\u201d<\/strong> are being conducted in the Taiwan Strait and in waters to the north, south-west, south-east and east of the self-governing island. The exercises include sea-air combat readiness patrols, simulated blockades of key ports, joint operations to seize comprehensive battlefield superiority, and long-range deterrence operations beyond the island chain.<\/p>\n Senior Colonel Shi Yi, spokesperson for the PLA\u2019s Eastern Theater Command, said the drills are aimed at safeguarding China\u2019s sovereignty and territorial integrity. He stressed that the operation is a necessary response to what Beijing views as growing separatist activity and increased foreign involvement in the Taiwan Strait.<\/p>\n The announcement comes amid heightened tensions following recent U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and remarks by Japan\u2019s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggesting Tokyo\u2019s military could become involved if China takes action against the island. While Beijing has expressed strong opposition to Japan\u2019s comments, the PLA\u2019s official statement did not directly reference Japan.<\/p>\n China considers Taiwan a breakaway province that must eventually be brought under Beijing\u2019s control. The two sides have been governed separately since 1949, when the Chinese civil war ended with the Communist Party taking power on the mainland and Nationalist forces retreating to Taiwan. Despite operating with its own government and military, Taiwan is claimed by Beijing as part of its sovereign territory.<\/p>\n Last week, China imposed sanctions on 20 U.S. defense-related companies and 10 executives, following Washington\u2019s announcement of a proposed arms package to Taiwan valued at more than $10 billion. If approved by the U.S. Congress, the deal would represent the largest single U.S. weapons sale to the island.<\/p>\n Beijing has repeatedly warned that such arms transfers undermine regional stability and violate its \u201cOne China\u201d principle. Monday\u2019s drills signal a further escalation in military pressure, as tensions in the Taiwan Strait continue to draw in major regional and global powers.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" China\u2019s military on Monday announced the launch of extensive joint military drills involving air, naval and rocket forces around Taiwan, describing the exercises as a \u201cstern warning\u201d to separatist movements and what it called \u201cexternal interference\u201d in the Taiwan issue. The People\u2019s Liberation Army (PLA) said the drills, code-named \u201cJustice Mission 2025,\u201d are being conducted<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14857,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"twitter_1160854738579181570_1160854738579181570":"","facebook_3558452337540614_100649324928663":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[26,17],"tags":[2578,765,435,2579,1365,2577],"class_list":{"0":"post-14856","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-asia","8":"category-politics","9":"tag-asia-pacific","10":"tag-china","11":"tag-geopolitics","12":"tag-military-drills","13":"tag-security","14":"tag-taiwan"},"yoast_head":"\n