China's military moved army, naval, air force and rocket force units around Taiwan on Monday for its "Just Mission 2025" drills, aimed at testing combat readiness and delivering a "stern warning" against moves toward Taiwanese independence.
The Eastern Theatre Command announced the drills will involve live-fire exercises on Tuesday, in a statement containing a graphic demarcating five zones surrounding the island that will be under sea and air space restrictions for 10 hours from 08:30 (00:30 GMT).
This marks China's sixth major round of war games since 2022 after then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the self-governed island, and follow a rise in Chinese rhetoric over Beijing's territorial claims after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan could trigger a military response from Tokyo.
"This (the drills) serves as a serious warning to 'Taiwan Independence' separatist forces and external interference forces," Shi Yi, a spokesperson for China's Eastern Theatre Command said in a statement.
"The exercise focuses on training for maritime and aerial combat readiness patrols, gaining integrated control, sealing off key ports and areas and conducting multi-dimensional deterrence."
The military released a poster titled "Shields of Justice: Smashing Illusions", featuring two golden shields emblazoned with the Chinese People's Liberation Army insignia and the Great Wall of China, along with three military aircraft and two ships.
Taiwan's defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
While the PLA had practiced port blockades around Taiwan during war games last year, this marks the first time it has publicly stated that drills around the island are aimed at "deterrence" of outside military intervention.
The drills began 11 days after the US announced $11.1 billion in arms sales to Taiwan, the largest ever weapons package for the island, drawing a protest from China's defence ministry and warnings the military would "take forceful measures" in response.
(Reporting by Joe Cash and Eduardo Baptista; Editing by Neil Fullick and Stephen Coates)
