RESTRICTION: USERS MUST CREDIT “TAIWAN'S MINISTRY OF NATIONAL DEFENSE” HANDOUT, MUST NOT OBSCURE LOGO —EDITORIAL USE ONLY—

SHOTLIST:

TAIWAN (DEC. 29, 2025) (TAIWAN'S MINISTRY OF NATIONAL DEFENSE – RESTRICTED)

1. VARIOUS OF TAIWAN NAVAL VESSEL DEPARTING PORT TO MONITOR CHINESE MILITARY DRILL SHIPS

2. VARIOUS OF TAIWAN WARPLANES TAKING OFF TO MONITOR CHINESE MILITARY DRILL AIRCRAFT

3. VARIOUS OF VARIOUS OF TAIWAN DEFENSE SYSTEMS BEING PREPARED, TANKS BEING DEPLOYED

4. TAIWAN TROOPS PREPARING FOR DRILLS

5. VARIOUS OF TAIWAN MONITORING CHINESE MILITARY ACTIVITY BY AIR AND SEA TAIWAN - DEC. 29 - RESTRICTION: USERS MUST CREDIT “TAIWAN'S MINISTRY OF NATIONAL DEFENSE” HANDOUT, MUST NOT OBSCURE LOGO —EDITORIAL USE ONLY—Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said the island’s armed forces conducted rapid response exercises on Monday in response to aircraft and naval activity by China’s People’s Liberation Army.

In a statement posted on social media, the ministry said the armed forces closely monitored the situation and carried out joint sea and air operations involving all service branches.

The ministry said Taiwan’s Coast Guard also remained on high alert as part of the response.

No further details on the scale or duration of the activities were immediately provided.

China launched joint military drills Monday around Taiwan in a stern warning against "Taiwan Independence" separatist forces and external interference, according to state-run media.

The Eastern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) dispatched fighter jets, bombers and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in coordination with long-range rocket forces to conduct drills code-named "Justice Mission 2025" in the Taiwan Strait and areas to the north, southwest, southeast and east of Taiwan Island, Xinhua news agency reported, citing Shi Yi, a spokesperson for the theater command.

The exercises are focused on striking mobile ground targets and aimed at testing the PLA’s ability to conduct precise attacks on key objectives under joint operational conditions, Shi said.

“With vessels and aircraft approaching Taiwan island in close proximity from different directions, troops of multiple services engage in joint assaults to test their joint operations capabilities," he said.

It is a stern warning against "Taiwan Independence" separatist forces and external interference and a legitimate and necessary action to safeguard China's sovereignty and national unity, he added.

No details were provided on the duration of the drills.

Taiwan denounced China's war games and said its military is on maximum alert.

“We strongly condemn the PRC’s irrational provocations and oppose the PLA’s actions that undermine regional peace. Rapid Response Exercises are underway, with forces on high alert to defend the Republic of China and protect our people,” the Ministry of National Defense said in a post on the US social media company X’s platform.

The exercises come amid heightened cross-strait tensions and follow a series of recent military activities by the PLA around Taiwan.