Justice Mission 2025 Taiwan Drills Leave Island on Edge Despite Ship Pullbacks
As of Dec 31, 2025, Taiwan remains on high alert following the Justice Mission 2025 China military drills. Despite reports of Chinese ships pulling back, the record 77 aircraft and 25 vessels involved have escalated regional tensions.
The steel is withdrawing, but the tension remains palpable. Taiwan stayed on high alert on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, even as Chinese vessels began to move away from the island following the massive Justice Mission 2025 military exercises. Although maritime traffic has started to calm, Taipei's emergency response centers remain fully operational because Beijing hasn't formally declared an end to its show of force.
Scaling the Pressure: Justice Mission 2025 China Military Drills
These exercises represented China's most extensive war games by coverage area to date. According to Taiwan's Defense Ministry, a staggering 77 military aircraft and 25 navy and coast guard vessels operated around the island within a 24-hour window. Notably, 35 planes crossed the sensitive Taiwan Strait median line, forcing Taipei to cancel dozens of domestic flights and scramble its own jets and warships in response. The simulated 'encirclement' was a blunt demonstration of the PLA's reach.
The $11.1 Billion Trigger and 'Sealing' Tactics
The drills didn't happen in a vacuum. They kicked off just 11 days after the United States announced a record $11.1 billion arms package for Taiwan. Beijing's state media, Xinhua, framed the mission as a test of 'sealing internally and blocking externally'—a strategy designed to contain local forces while denying access to foreign intervention. While Taipei condemned the acts as a blatant provocation, Western allies including Britain and the European Commission expressed deep concern over the threat to regional security.
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