The People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China is conducting military exercises around Taiwan. On the 29th, Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) expressed strong protest and dissatisfaction for the second time, calling on mainland China to stop its irrational military provocations and not to become a disruptor of international rules and order.
On the morning of the 29th, the PLA Eastern Theater Command announced that starting that day, it would conduct the "Joint Justice – 2025" drills in the Taiwan Strait, north of Taiwan Island, southwest of Taiwan Island, southeast of Taiwan Island, and east of Taiwan Island. In addition, from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm on the 30th, live-fire drills will take place in five designated sea and airspaces around Taiwan.
According to Central News Agency (CNA), after issuing a "stern condemnation" against the PLA military exercises on the morning of the 29th, the MAC reiterated in a press release in the evening that the mainland's targeted military exercises and harassment in sea areas around the Taiwan Strait attempt to unilaterally change the status quo in the strait, and expressed "strong protest and dissatisfaction."
The MAC stated that invoking so-called "justice" for this military drill is absurd. The conduct of the mainland is contrary to its self-declared "Global Security Initiative," and further highlights its hegemonic essence to change the status quo.
Interference with Civil Aviation Routes and Maritime Traffic
The MAC pointed out that these exercises have already interfered with Taiwan's civil aviation routes and maritime traffic, affecting the safety of lives and property of the Taiwanese people. It called on the mainland authorities to act rationally and exercise restraint, to immediately halt these highly irresponsible acts of provocation, and to avoid misjudging the situation and becoming the biggest threat to international rules and order.
The MAC stated that in recent times, the world's democratic community has been highly concerned about China's authoritarian expansion and military threats in the Indo-Pacific region. In recent months, the mainland has not only continued to harass Taiwan's surrounding sea and airspace, but has also conducted various "gray zone" harassment and substantial coercion in waters near neighboring countries such as Japan and the Philippines, unilaterally escalating tensions in the Taiwan Strait and the broader region. These irrational provocations crudely undermine the security and stability status quo of the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region, and openly challenge the United Nations Charter, international law, and international order.
Resolutely Safeguarding Sovereignty, Democracy, and Freedom
The MAC emphasized that in response to the mainland’s military developments, the national security team has already closely monitored the situation in advance and adopted appropriate countermeasures to ensure that national defense and security are not compromised. The government will resolutely defend sovereignty, democracy, and freedom, and will continue to actively implement President Lai Ching-te’s "National Security Action Plan for Safeguarding Democratic Taiwan," enhance self-defense capabilities, strengthen the democratic resilience of society as a whole, demonstrate firm determination to oppose the mainland's annexation of Taiwan, and closely cooperate with like-minded countries to jointly safeguard the prosperity and stability of the Taiwan Strait and Indo-Pacific region.