China stages military drills around Taiwan as 'stern warning' against 'external interference'

China is conducting military drills around Taiwan island as a warning to external forces said to be interfering in their sovereignty and national unity, state media Xinhua News reported on Monday (Dec. 29) morning.

Code-named "Justice Mission 2025", the drills involve multiple forces of the People's Liberation Army (PLA)' Eastern Theater Command, including the army, navy and air force.

Xinhua said that troops are being dispatched to the Taiwan Strait and areas to the north, southwest, southeast and east of Taiwan's island as a "stern warning against "Taiwan Independence" separatist forces and external interference".

US's arms package

The drills form part of Beijing's responses to the U.S.'s S$14.44 billion arms package to Taiwan, China Daily reported, calling the sales "a deep contradiction between Washington's words and deeds".

"Such behaviour is not only a serious breach of the one-China principle and the three China–US joint communiques, but also a blatant interference in China's internal affairs and an open challenge to China's sovereignty and territorial integrity," the news agency wrote.

Earlier, Beijing said that the arms sales and the U.S.'s "intensified" acceptance of Taiwan might speed up the threat of war in the Taiwan Strait.

Spat with Japan

However, Japanese national newspaper The Mainichi Shimbun said that the drills could heighten tensions in the region.

China and Japan are locked in a weeks-long spat after Japan's prime minister Sanae Takaichi remarked in parliament on Nov. 7 that an attack on Taiwan by the Chinese could amount to a "survival-threatening situation" and trigger a military response from Tokyo.

Beijing slammed the comments as "erroneous" and "blatant provocations", maintaining its claim that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China.

In a letter to the UN, it also vowed to self-defend if Japan attempted to intervene militarily in Taiwan.

Following the start of the drills on Dec. 29, Taiwan's defence military also accused Beijing of escalating tensions and undermining regional peace.

It is also said to have dispatched its own forces to conduct counter-combat exercises in response.

"The PLA will not underestimate the enemy's combat capabilities, nor will it underestimate itself. All officers and soldiers will remain highly vigilant and on high alert," the ministry wrote.

Top image via Xinhua