China launches drills around Taiwan in ‘stern warning’ to external forces

Beijing to impose sea, air restrictions for 10 hours, starting at 00:00 GMT on Tuesday, in five zones around Taiwan.Published On 29 Dec 2025China has deployed air, navy and rocket troops to the waters around Taiwan for drills that its military said were aimed at testing combat readiness and delivering a “stern warning” against “separatist” and “external interference” forces.The announcement on Monday came amid anger in Beijing over an $11.1bn weapons sale to Taiwan by the United States, as well as a statement by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who suggested that the Japanese military could get involved if China were to attack the self-governed island.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3US sells $700m NASAMS missile system to Taiwanlist 2 of 3US approves $11bn in arms sales to Taiwan in deal likely to anger Chinalist 3 of 3Beijing’s reaction to US-Taiwan arms deal is “information warfare”end of listBeijing considers Taiwan as part of its territory and has pledged to take control of the island by force if necessary.In a statement, the Chinese military’s Eastern Theatre Command said it was dispatching army, navy, air force and rocket force troops to five zones around Taiwan for its “Just Mission 2025”, starting on Monday.Live-fire exercises will begin on Tuesday in the Taiwan Strait and areas to the north, southwest, southeast and east of the island, it said.Shi Yi, a spokesperson for the Eastern Theatre Command, said in a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo that the activities will focus “on ​training for maritime and aerial combat readiness patrols, gaining ‌integrated control, sealing off key ports and areas and conducting multi-dimensional deterrence”. The drills serve “as a serious warning to ‘Taiwan Independence’ separatist forces and external interference forces”, he added.A separate statement with a map showed five large zones surrounding the island where “live firing activities will be organised” from 8am to 6pm (00:00-10:00 GMT) on Tuesday. “For the sake of safety, any irrelevant vessel or aircraft is advised not to enter the afore-mentioned waters and airspace,” the statement read.Sixth major round of drillsThe planned drills mark China’s sixth major round of war games since 2022 – after then-US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan – and were described by the state-owned Xinhua news agency as “a legitimate and necessary action to safeguard China’s sovereignty and national unity”.