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China’s largest-area live-fire drills ring Taiwan after a record US arms sale

Joint drills covered seven zones around Taiwan on December 29–30, 2025.

2 Nov 2026, 14:29 · All sides · Written by Grok

8 sources · 3 countries🇺🇸 🇨🇳 🇬🇧

China launches largest war drills around Taiwan after record US arms sale — foxnews.com

Key Facts

China’s military ran two days of joint live-fire drills around Taiwan, and Taipei said the activity forced flight changes and put its forces on alert.
The exercises followed a large US arms package for Taiwan announced earlier the same month.
Beijing and Taipei disagree on whether the drills were lawful defense or a threat.

How the views differ

The drills are a lawful, necessary warning against separatism and outside interference.

Chinese state and national-unity narrative

Beijing treats Taiwan as part of China and says these exercises defend sovereignty and national unity.

Officials present the drills as more targeted training after what they call independence moves and US arms sales, not as an attack on civilians.

The stated aim is to show China can patrol, take control of sea and air, blockade ports and areas, and deter outside forces.

xinhuanet.com (St.)
globaltimes.cn (St.)
news.cgtn.com (St.)

This is a provocative show of force that practices cutting Taiwan off.

Taiwan’s government and international reporting on cross-strait risk

Taipei and major news outlets describe the drills as the largest by area and the closest to Taiwan so far, expanded from five zones to a record seven.

They say live rockets, warships, and a surge of aircraft into Taiwan’s air defense zone disrupted civilian travel and rehearsed isolation.

In this reading, answering US-Taiwan arms cooperation with blockade practice is intimidation, not ordinary training. Taiwan mobilized troops and showcased US-made systems.

reuters.com (Ind.)
cbsnews.com (Ind.)
nytimes.com (Ind.)

Most likely true

The drills happened. China’s Eastern Theater Command ran multi-service exercises around Taiwan on December 29–30, 2025, under the name “Justice Mission 2025,” and both Chinese official statements and independent outlets describe live-fire activity and blockade-type tasks. That part is solid. Taiwan’s counts — 130 aircraft, 89–90 median-line crossings, dozens of ships, 27 rockets — are official Taiwan figures carried by Reuters and the New York Times.

Grey areas. Ask to dive deeper

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Coverage

8 sources · 3 countries

State-funded 3
Independent 5

USCNGB

Methodology

How the views differ

Grey areas. Ask to dive deeper

Coverage

All sources