PLA Conducts 'Justice Mission 2025' Military Drills around Taiwan Island

By Hou Yongbo and Li Lin

The sketch map of the drill areas released by the Chinese PLA Eastern Theater Command.

NANJING, Dec. 30 -- Starting from December 29, the Chinese PLA Eastern Theater Command has been dispatching its Army, Navy, Air Force and Rocket Force troops to conduct the joint military drills code-named "Justice Mission 2025" in the Taiwan Strait and areas to the north, southwest, southeast and east of the Taiwan Island, focusing on subjects of sea-air combat readiness patrol, joint seizure of comprehensive superiority, blockade on key ports and areas, as well as all-dimensional deterrence outside the island chain. With vessels and aircraft approaching the Taiwan Island in close proximity from different directions, troops of multiple services engage in joint assaults so as to test their joint operations capabilities. Senior Colonel Shi Yi, spokesperson of the PLA Eastern Theater Command, said that it is a stern warning against "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, and it is a legitimate and necessary action to safeguard China's sovereignty and national unity.

At around 9:30 a.m., immediately after arriving at the designated sea areas, naval taskforces attached to the PLA Eastern Theater Command, led by the guided-missile frigates Baoji (Hull 534) and Quzhou (Hull 517) and the guided-missile destroyer Taiyuan (Hull 131) respectively, carried out several rounds of live-fire shooting with their main and secondary guns. Subsequently, the taskforces proceeded to consecutive drills on air and missile defense, live-fire shooting at sea, joint anti-submarine operations, joint maritime assaults and other subjects, aiming to test their capabilities in "joint seizure of sea-air superiority, blockade on key ports and areas, and joint precision strike on key targets".

In the waters southeast of the Taiwan Island, the taskforce led by the amphibious assault ship Hainan (Hull 31), in collaboration with bomber formations and anti-ship missile forces, carried out drills on vessel-aircraft coordination, maritime target strike, long-distance raid, comprehensive support and other subjects. The drills tested capabilities of integrated operations inside and outside the island chain, and neutralizing the enemy at maximum range.

Different types of combat aircraft attached to the air force under the PLA Eastern Theater Command took off from different airfields. Fighters, bombers, special-purpose aircraft and drones formed large air formations and flew to the waters and airspace to the east, north and southwest of the Taiwan Island. In coordination with maritime operational forces and long-range firepower, they conducted assault on maritime targets, regional air superiority, ground target strike, aerial confrontation, information support and other subjects, in order to test the capabilities in integrated coordination and seizure of dominance.

PLA Rocket force troops and several long-range multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) units of the army under the PLA Eastern Theater Command constructed an all-dimensional integrated fire strike system and conducted simulated fire strikes on several enemy target vessels, as well as multiple rounds of massive simulated strikes against high-value military ground targets.

Under the support of the joint operational system of the PLA Eastern Theater Command, the theater troops conducted drills on sea-air combat readiness patrol, joint seizure of comprehensive superiority and joint precision strike on key targets, further examining the capabilities in rapid maneuver, all-dimensional deployment and systematic blockade and control.