The PLA’s script to blockade TaiwanBy Liao Ming-hui 廖明輝On Monday, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) Eastern Theater Command abruptly announced a joint drill code-named “Justice Mission 2025,” staging 10 hours of live-fire drills across five maritime and air zones surrounding Taiwan. In the past, PLA drills aimed at Taiwan were typically preceded by extended political signaling and information priming, allowing outside observers to anticipate escalation. Beijing needs a military response to Washington’s recent approval of major arms sales to Taiwan. At the same time, rising debate within Japan over Taiwan contingency scenarios has clearly caught China’s attention. Together, they created a deliberately blurred space where drills, blockade enforcement and the prelude to war become difficult to distinguish.

Source: Taipei Times December 31, 2025 16:34 UTC