China launched multiple rockets into waters surrounding Taiwan on Tuesday as part of the second day of large-scale military drills that included live-fire exercises and simulated blockades.
The maneuvers, code-named “Justice Mission 2025,” marked one of Beijing’s most extensive military displays around the self-governed island and involved coordinated naval, air, and rocket forces.
Chinese state media said the drills were intended to counter what Beijing describes as separatist and external forces, while Taiwan monitored the activity closely and reported disruptions to civilian aviation.
According to China’s military, the drills involved navy destroyers, bombers, and other assets conducting 10 hours of live-fire exercises across five designated maritime and airspace zones around Taiwan.
Taiwan’s coast guard said seven rockets were fired into two of the drill zones, while the Ministry of National Defense reported tracking 130 aircraft sorties, 14 naval ships, and eight official vessels over a 24-hour period.
Some of the exercises took place within 12 nautical miles of Taiwan’s coastline, areas Taipei considers part of its territorial waters.
China’s Eastern Theater Command also released imagery emphasizing simulated strikes, anti-submarine maneuvers, and patrols designed to encircle the island.
The drills were the sixth round of large-scale exercises around Taiwan since 2022 and followed the recent announcement of an $11.1 billion United States weapons package for Taiwan.
The military activity disrupted transportation in and around Taiwan, with more than 80 domestic flights canceled, many serving outlying islands.
Taiwan’s Civil Aviation Administration warned that over 300 international flights could face delays due to rerouted air traffic, though no widespread international cancellations were reported.
Chinese officials said the exercises included rehearsals for sealing off major ports in northern and southern Taiwan, as well as controlling key waterways used for energy imports.
Taiwanese officials said the drills were being closely monitored by coast guard and naval vessels, while leaders in Taipei stated they did not seek escalation.
Analysts and journalists observing the exercises noted that the scale and rhetoric surrounding the drills reflected rising tensions, even as both sides framed the actions as deterrence rather than preparation for immediate conflict.