Khaberni - Today (Tuesday), China launched missiles into the waters north and south of Taiwan, deployed modern amphibious landing ships along with bombers and naval destroyers, on the second day of its widest military maneuvers ever, simulating a comprehensive blockade on the island.
The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese military announced that the live drills will continue until 6 PM local time, involving five locations surrounding Taiwan, confirming that the maneuvers affect the maritime and aerial domains in those areas.
A video was also broadcast showing what appears to be the long-range mobile missile system, model PCH-191, launching its missiles towards the sea from a location inside China.
Simulating Strikes on Taiwanese Targets
The Chinese armed forces stated that units from the navy and air force conducted simulations of striking maritime and aerial targets, alongside anti-submarine warfare training north and south of Taiwan, which enjoys a democratic regime.
Justice Mission 2025 Maneuvers
The maneuvers, named “Justice Mission 2025,” began just 11 days after the United States announced a record arms package to Taiwan worth $11.1 billion.
These exercises are the largest in terms of area and geographically closest to the island since China began its intensive maneuvers around Taiwan.
A senior Taiwanese security official said Taipei is closely monitoring whether this sixth round of major maneuvers since 2022 will include missile launches over the island, as occurred following the visit of former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
The source added that Beijing appears also to be testing targeting of land sites, including the American-made HIMARS rocket system, capable of striking targets up to about 300 kilometers away.
This system is compared to its Chinese counterpart, the PCH-191, which Chinese official media describes as capable of hitting any point inside Taiwan.
Taiwan's Response
On his part, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te confirmed that the forces deployed on the front lines are fully ready to defend the island, stressing at the same time that his government does not seek to escalate the tension.
The Taiwanese Ministry of Defense announced that live firing exercises took place on Tuesday morning north of the island, and that debris fell within the area adjacent to Taiwan, extending up to 24 nautical miles from the coast.
In the same context, the Civil Aviation Authority in Taiwan reported that 11 out of 14 air routes at Taipei Airport were affected by the maneuvers, without any cancellations of international flights, while flights to the nearby islands of Kinmen and Matsu were halted, affecting about 6,000 travelers.
14 Chinese Ships
On the maritime front, 14 ships belonging to the Chinese coast guard continued to sail near the area adjacent to Taiwan, some of which entered into direct confrontations with Taiwanese ships.
A Taiwanese coast guard official stated that both sides followed a method of parallel sailing and maneuvering to force the Chinese ships to retreat.
The Ministry of Defense announced that 130 Chinese military aircraft and 22 naval and coast guard vessels operated around the island during 24 hours.
In a significant development, Chinese media highlighted the first practical deployment of the Type 075 amphibious landing ship, capable of launching attack helicopters, landing boats, tanks, and armored vehicles simultaneously.
This escalation comes at a time when American reports indicate that China is aiming to achieve full military readiness by 2027, a symbolic date coinciding with the centenary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army.
Analysts believe that any Chinese siege of Taiwan would have a devastating impact on global trade, considering that an estimated $2.45 trillion of trade annually passes through the Taiwan Strait, a vital passageway for aerial and maritime navigation in Asia.
