Photo: PLA Eastern Theater Command

At 7:30 am on Monday morning, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command announced the conduct of "Justice Mission 2025" in Taiwan Straits. In an interview with the Global Times, a military affairs expert stated that from "Joint Sword" to "Strait Thunder" to "Justice Mission," although the exercise code names have changed, what remains unchanged is our determination and will, demonstrating the PLA's ability to act on orders at any time, transition from training to combat, and resolutely fulfill its sacred mission.

Starting from Monday, the PLA Eastern Theater Command is dispatching its Army, Navy, Air Force and Rocket Force troops to conduct joint military drills code-named "Justice Mission 2025" in the Taiwan Straits and areas to the north, southwest, southeast and east of the Taiwan island, focusing on subjects of sea-air combat readiness patrol, joint seizure of comprehensive superiority, blockade on key ports and areas, as well as all-dimensional deterrence outside the island chain, Senior Colonel Shi Yi, spokesperson of the PLA Eastern Theater Command, announced on Monday.

With vessels and aircraft approaching the Taiwan Island in close proximity from different directions, troops of multiple services engage in joint assaults so as to test their joint operations capabilities. It is a stern warning against "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, and it is a legitimate and necessary action to safeguard China's sovereignty and national unity, Shi said.

The speed of conduct of this Eastern Theater Command exercise is remarkably fast—only two days after a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated that "it will be met with China's firm response." This fully demonstrates the PLA's capability to be on standby at all times, ready to fight at any moment, and certain to win in battle.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Friday that "Taiwan question is at the very core of China's core interests and the first red line that must not be crossed in China-US relations. Anyone who attempts to cross the line and make provocations on the Taiwan question will be met with China's firm response. Any company or individual who engages in arms sales to Taiwan will pay the price for the wrongdoing." On the day, Chinese Foreign Ministry announced the decision to take countermeasures against 20 US military companies and 10 senior executives, in response to the latest US announcement of large-scale arms sales to China's Taiwan region.

The US government announced on December 17 $11.1 billion in arms sales to China's Taiwan region, the largest ever US weapons package for the island, Reuters reported.

Regarding this large-scale exercise by the PLA Eastern Theater Command, the Taiwan region issued no prior notice. Yet, just the night before on Sunday, in a program on Taiwan-based media, Lai Ching-te was smugly showcasing the so-called "defense achievements" of the Taiwan region at the "209 Plant" of the Taiwan Military Equipment department—only to be immediately slapped in the face. The "defense department" on the island even boastfully claimed that it had formulated combat preparedness response procedures for mainland military actions and was prepared to deal with PLA surprise attacks, but in reality, it was completely unprepared. 

Data released by "security bureau" on the island shows that PLA conducted nearly 3,600 sorties by military aircraft around the island of Taiwan this year, setting a new historical high, and PLA military aircraft and ships have conducted 39 "joint combat readiness patrols." This fully indicates that the PLA can take action at any time without Taiwan's awareness. Defense Ministry spokesman Zhang Xiaogang previously stated that the PLA will not stop cracking down against "Taiwan independence" and promoting reunification; for every provocation by "Taiwan independence" forces, we will advance pressure one step further, until the complete reunification of the motherland is achieved.

"In recent years, in response to provocative narratives by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities, their 'independence'-seeking actions, and their vile collusion with external forces, the PLA has conducted a series of exercises, with code names from 'Joint Sword' to 'Strait Thunder', and to 'Justice Mission.' Although the code names have changed, what remains unchanged is our determination and will," Zhang Chi, a military affairs expert at the National Defense University of the PLA, told the Global Times on Monday. 

In addition, he said that these changes in code names also demonstrate three points: first, the PLA's strength is growing ever stronger; second, the PLA's preparations for combat are advancing deeper and more practically, with greater emphasis on training soldiers according to how battles are fought; third, the PLA acts on orders at any time, transitions from training to combat, and resolutely fulfills its sacred mission.

Recently, the Lai authorities have seriously colluded with external forces, frantically purchasing arms, and undermining peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits. The PLA's organization of a powerful military exercise codenamed "Justice Mission" has a very clear target: it is aimed precisely at the vile actions of "Taiwan independence" separatist forces colluding with external interference forces, and is absolutely not directed at the broad masses of Taiwan compatriots. The exercise is a solemn warning and powerful deterrent to Lai's "relying on foreign forces to seek independence," "seek independence through forces," and external forces' interference and provocation. It is a legitimate and lawful action to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. "The recovery of Taiwan and its return to China was an important outcome of the victory in the War of Resistance, and also an important component of the post-World War II international order, with a rock-solid legal foundation. The one-China principle has long been deeply rooted in people's hearts and has become a broad consensus in the international community. The Taiwan question is purely China's internal affair and brooks no external interference," Zhang Chi said.

Regarding "external forces once again stirring up the Taiwan question this time and massively selling arms to Taiwan," Zhang stated that this not only seriously violates the one-China principle, grossly interferes in China's internal affairs, and challenges China's core interests, but also blatantly tramples on international justice and maliciously disrupts the post-war international order. Its sinister intent to "use Taiwan question to contain China" is obvious to all.

As for "the actions of the Lai authorities," Zhang said that this is selling out Taiwan to external forces, groveling and begging, and eagerly using the hard-earned money of the Taiwan people to pay "protection fees" to external forces. It can be said that the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces headed by Lai are utterly incompatible with peace in the Taiwan Straits—they are outright "troublemakers," "peace destroyers," and "war igniters," Zhang Chi stated.

Zhang noted that "the use of the code name 'Justice Mission' this time is to emphasize the legitimacy and legality of military actions—the exercise is to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity, safeguard the security and well-being of all Chinese people, including Taiwan compatriots, and resolutely oppose separatism and interference. This is a sacred mission. The PLA conducting exercises in the Taiwan Straits demonstrates the irrefutable great truth that 'justice will prevail, peace will prevail, and the people will prevail.'"