Chinese military drills around Taiwan with live-fire exercises this morning! Affecting flights for 100,000 people, Trump: Not worried about the Taiwan Strait situation

China’s military exercises today (12/30) have begun live-fire drills around Taiwan, affecting over 100,000 travelers. Trump responded calmly, emphasizing good relations with Xi Jinping. Although Xi Jinping did not inform him of this action, he is not worried that the situation in the Taiwan Strait will worsen.

China’s military exercises this morning involved live-fire drills around Taiwan, estimated to impact 100,000 passengers on flights

The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army announced yesterday (12/29) that it has launched military exercises codenamed “Justice Mission 2025.” Today, it further designated seven exercise zones around Taiwan for live-fire drills.

This is the largest scope of exercises ever conducted by the PLA and the closest to Taiwan, aimed at demonstrating the ability to cut off Taiwan’s external communications and blockade key ports.

These Chinese military exercises have already caused significant disruptions to regional transportation. According to PTS News Network, Taiwan’s Civil Aeronautics Administration pointed out that, due to the flight notices issued by the Chinese government, multiple routes in the Taipei Flight Information Region are blocked, and it is estimated that over 100,000 international travelers will be affected today.

Regarding domestic flights, flights to Kinmen and Matsu have been significantly canceled, with all flights operated by Uni Air and Mandarin Airlines to Matsu suspended, forcing about 6,000 domestic travelers to adjust their plans.

The Civil Aeronautics Administration has strongly condemned this violation of international regulations and is coordinating with airlines to transport passengers with additional flights after the exercises conclude.

Image source: Wikimedia Commons, Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Terminal 2 Departure Hall

Trump: Not worried about the Taiwan Strait situation, I have a good relationship with Xi Jinping

In response to the rapidly escalating tensions in the Taiwan Strait, U.S. President Trump appeared calm during an interview.

According to CNN and Reuters, Trump explicitly stated he is not worried about the situation in the Taiwan Strait and reaffirmed his good relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Trump mentioned that, although Xi Jinping did not inform him in advance of this action, he has observed that China has been conducting naval exercises in the region for 20 years, so he does not believe Xi Jinping will take further invasion actions.

Image source: Heute.at Trump clearly states he is not worried about the Taiwan Strait situation and reaffirms his good relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The timing of this military exercise is sensitive, coming shortly after Washington and Taiwan announced a $11.1 billion arms sale. CNN analysis points out that this largest-ever arms sale, including the HIMARS rocket system and anti-armor missiles, along with Taiwan’s special defense budget pushed by the president, are the main reasons for China’s strong displeasure.

Although Trump remains optimistic about the situation, he also reiterated that the U.S. will continue to provide Taiwan with defensive capabilities in accordance with the law, which has always been a root cause of friction in U.S.-China relations.

Further reading:
The Trump-Xi Meeting Summary » A look at U.S.-China tariff concessions and diplomatic tacit understanding, with Trump expected to visit China next year

Ministry of National Defense releases surveillance footage, further analysis of the situation by foreign media

In response to intense pressure from the PLA, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense has established an emergency response center and publicly released surveillance footage. As of yesterday afternoon, the military has tracked 14 Chinese warships and 89 sorties of military aircraft at sea. The Coast Guard also dispatched vessels to monitor Chinese coast guard ships on a one-to-one basis to prevent intrusion into Taiwan’s territorial waters.

The Wall Street Journal further analyzed that China’s military exercises aim to break through the First Island Chain blockade. If conflict erupts in the Taiwan Strait, Taiwan’s fate will quickly intertwine with the U.S.-Japan security alliance. Japan’s Yonaguni Island is only about 110 km from Taiwan and could very likely be drawn into the conflict zone.

CNN quoted experts as saying that these exercises clearly demonstrate an intention to “prevent foreign military intervention,” and by simulating blockades and control of key ports, they attempt to blur the line between exercises and actual combat preparations, testing Taiwan and the international community’s bottom line for response.