China launches live-fire drills around Taiwan in second day of drills aimed at further isolating island

China launched 10 hours of live-fire exercises around Taiwan on Tuesday, deploying new amphibious assault ships alongside bombers and warships in the second day of its largest-ever war exercises aimed at rehearsing a blockade of the island.

Taiwan said it was putting its forces on alert and called the Chinese government “the greatest destroyer of peace.”

Eastern Theater Command said the exercises would take place until 6 p.m. (5 a.m. ET) in the sea and airspace of five locations surrounding Taiwan, and naval and air units would carry out strikes on sea and air targets as well as anti-submarine operations to the north and south of the democratically governed island.

Taiwan’s aviation authority said more than 100,000 international air travelers would be affected by flight cancellations or diversions, with only a northeastern corridor to Japan open to commercial flights. Roads to the offshore islands of Kinmen and Matsu, near the Chinese coast, are blocked.

The biggest drills yet

China’s Maritime Security Administration on Monday designated two additional areas in which live firing would take place, making the “Mission Justice 2025” exercises the largest yet in terms of total coverage and in areas closer to Taiwan than previous exercises.

War drills began 11 days after U.S. announcement a record $11.1 billion US arms program for Taiwanangering China’s Defense Ministry and warning the military would “take strong action” in response.

The drills — China’s sixth major round of war drills since 2022, when then-Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi visited the democratically governed island — aim to rehearse a rapid encirclement of the island to destroy its weapons stockpiles and hamper efforts to resupply Taiwan from Japan or nearby U.S. bases, analysts say.

“This constitutes a blatant provocation of the international situation,” said a senior Taiwanese security official, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. “As one of the most critical shipping lanes in the world, they seek to reshape the international order according to their own agenda.”

Some $2.45 trillion in trade passes through the Taiwan Strait each year, while the airspace above the island serves as a corridor linking China, the world’s second-largest economy, to the fast-growing markets of East and Southeast Asia.

The official said Taipei was closely monitoring whether China would seek “further provocation” in Tuesday’s exercises, including flying missiles over Taiwan, similar to China’s 2022 exercises.

“China is trying to make progress in asserting its dominance over the entire island chain through extreme pressure tactics in various ways,” the official said.

WATCH | Taiwan on alert:

Taiwan on alert after Chinese military launches two days of live-fire exercises

China has launched air, naval and rocket military exercises around the island of Taiwan, calling them a “stern warning” against separatist forces and “external interference.” The Taiwanese government says it has placed its forces on alert as China steps up its military presence in the Indo-Pacific Ocean.

China’s military said Tuesday it has deployed destroyers, bombers and other units to carry out maritime assaults, air defense and anti-submarine operations, to “test the ability of maritime and air forces to coordinate for integrated containment and control.”

Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said 130 Chinese military aircraft and 22 navy and coast guard vessels operated around the island in the 24 hours before 6 a.m. Tuesday local time, with 90 planes crossing the median line that divides the Taiwan Strait.

US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he had not been informed in advance of the military exercise but was not concerned because China “has been doing naval exercises for 20 years in this area.” Touting his “great relationship” with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump suggested he did not think Xi would attack Taiwan.

Taiwan rejects China’s demands for national unity, saying only its people can decide the island’s future.