Beijing, China – The Chinese military launched a large-scale military exercise dubbed “Fair Mission 2025” on Monday morning, December 29, 2025. The exercise involved land, sea, air, and missile forces, in a move Beijing described as a “serious warning” to separatist forces and foreign interference.
Simulated attacks and port blockades
The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army announced that it has amassed troops in the north and southwest of the Taiwan Strait. It has already begun live-fire exercises and simulated attacks against land and sea targets. These maneuvers include strategic drills aimed at “blockading the island’s main ports,” with strict air and sea restrictions imposed on five areas surrounding Taiwan for 10 consecutive hours.
Chinese military spokesman Shi Yi said the exercises were a deterrent against what he called “foreign intervention forces.” This marks the first time the Chinese military has publicly stated that its objective is to counter potential foreign military intervention.
Beijing: Reunification is “inevitable”
Simultaneously with the missile launches, the Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a firm statement asserting that any attempt to prevent China’s “reunification” was doomed to failure. The military also released a propaganda poster titled “Shields of Justice: Shattering Illusions,” depicting the might of the People’s Liberation Army and the Great Wall, a symbolic reference to protecting national sovereignty.
Taiwan: We are ready to defend democracy
In response, Taiwan raised its military alert level to maximum. The Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense released a video showcasing its arsenal of advanced weaponry, most of which is American-made. It affirmed its complete readiness to confront any threat and “defend democracy.”
Taipei considered these Chinese moves to be undermining regional stability and revealing aggressive intentions to change the status quo by force.
Context of escalation
This maneuver marks the sixth round of large-scale drills China has conducted around the island since Nancy Pelosi’s visit in 2022. It comes at a sensitive time following a Pentagon report indicating that China is on track to surpass 1,000 nuclear warheads, as it intensifies preparations for a potential military scenario against Taiwan.
