(C) Marine Link

BEIJING – China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) initiated a large-scale military exercise surrounding Taiwan on Monday, signaling a sharp escalation in cross-strait tensions. The drill, titled "Justice Mission-2025," comes as a direct retaliation against the United States’ recent approval of a record-breaking $11.1 billion arms package for the self-ruled island.

Multi-Front "Joint Assault" Simulation
The PLA Eastern Theater Command announced that the exercises involve a coordinated mobilization of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Rocket Force. The maneuvers are concentrated in the Taiwan Strait and the waters to the north, southwest, and east of Taiwan.

According to military spokespersons, the primary objectives include:

Blockade Operations: Testing the ability to seal off key ports and intercept maritime traffic.
Seizing Control: Practicing the capture of comprehensive air and sea dominance.
Integrated Strikes: Simulating "joint assaults" from multiple directions using destroyers, fighter jets, and drones.
As of Monday afternoon, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense reported detecting 14 Chinese warships, 14 coast guard vessels, and 89 military aircraft, with 67 of those planes entering Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ). Live-fire drills are scheduled to continue through Tuesday.

Retaliation for "Record-Breaking" Arms Sale
The timing of the drill is significant, occurring just eight months after the last major encirclement. Beijing explicitly linked the military action to Washington’s December 18 decision to sell Taiwan advanced weaponry, including HIMARS rocket systems, M107A7 self-propelled howitzers, and "suicide" loitering munitions.

"These drills serve as a stern punishment for 'Taiwan independence' forces seeking secession through force," said Lin Jian, spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry. He warned that external efforts to arm Taiwan would only push the region toward a "crisis of war."

Taiwan’s Response: The "Hedgehog" Strategy
In response, Taiwan’s Presidential Office condemned Beijing for "brutally destroying the status quo" of the Indo-Pacific. Despite the military pressure, President Lai Ching-te expressed confidence in Taiwan’s resilience during a recent interview.

Referencing CIA assessments that China aims to be ready for an invasion by 2027, President Lai remarked, "This suggests that China currently lacks the sufficient capability to annex Taiwan." He reaffirmed his commitment to the "Hedgehog Strategy," vowing to increase defense spending and make the cost of a cross-strait invasion prohibitively high for Beijing.

The international community remains on high alert as the frequency of these "encirclement" drills—now totaling seven since 2022—continues to increase, further destabilizing one of the world’s most volatile flashpoints.