Photo: PLA Eastern Theater Command

On Monday 7:30 am, the PLA Eastern Theater Command announced that it has launched the "Justice Mission 2025" military exercises. Simultaneously, the Eastern Theater Command issued a notice on and a sketch map of the joint military drill areas, stating that it will conduct major military drills and organize live firing activities in the seas and airspace around Taiwan from 8 am to 6 pm on Tuesday. 

Media on the island of Taiwan described the PLA's military exercises in Taiwan Straits as a "sudden" move, and ran headlines such as "Justice Mission 2025: military drills and training encircle Taiwan." Taiwan's news outlet Liberty Times claimed that the Eastern Theater Command made a surprise announcement on Monday that it will conduct an island-encircling military exercise targeting Taiwan, codenamed "Justice Mission 2025," with the drill scope covering the north, south, east and west of Taiwan island. Taiwan's "Central News Agency" directly specified the areas on the island that the exercises cover: according to the announced coordinate positions and diagrams, the drills span five zones, namely the waters north of Keelung, east of Taitung, south of Pingtung, southwest of Penghu, and the Taiwan Straits area from northwest of Taoyuan to Matsu, forming an encirclement posture around Taiwan.

In contrast to the simplistic interpretations by media outlets in Taiwan, as of press time, the island's relevant authorities have yet to make any response.

To help the relevant authorities in the Taiwan region gain a clearer understanding of the PLA's intentions, the Global Times interviewed Professor Zhang Chi of the National Defense University for an interpretation of the exercise zones demarcated for this military drill. Zhang explained that a total of five military exercise and training zones have been designated for this drill, two to the north of Taiwan island, two to the south, and one to the east.

Zhang said that judging from the delimitation of the exercise zones, this military drill features three key characteristics. 

First, tightening the encirclement chain. The exercise zones for this drill are positioned significantly closer to Taiwan's main island than those of previous exercises. Upon the launch of the drill, the PLA's naval and aerial forces rapidly closed in on Taiwan island from multiple directions, establishing an integrated blockade posture. This demonstrates a stark reality: each act of provocation by the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces and external interfering forces will prompt the PLA to advance one step further. The more egregious the collusion and provocation by the separatist forces and external interfering forces become, the tighter the PLA will draw the encirclement chain around Taiwan island; the fiercer the separatist countercurrents of "Taiwan independence", the stronger the mighty tide of national reunification will be, Zhang said.

Second, encircling Taiwan island on three sides. Unlike previous drills, the five exercise zones have formed a posture of encircling Taiwan island on three sides, sending an unequivocal signal: to seek "Taiwan independence" by relying on external forces is a dead end; to return to the motherland is the only righteous path, Zhang noted.

Third, closing the door to beat the dog. This drill carries a more explicit targeted focus and clear objective. The two exercise zones to the north of Taiwan island are aimed not only at the chief culprit of "Taiwan independence" - the Lai Ching-te authorities - but also lie close to the waters off the major northern ports of Taiwan island, tantamount to an announcement of a blockade of these ports. The two zones to the south of Taiwan island are intended not only to deliver a severe blow to the "stronghold" of the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, but also stand close to the sea area and airspace off the major southern ports and Taiwan military bases of Taiwan island, equivalent to cutting off Taiwan island's major maritime shipping routes. The single zone to the east of Taiwan island targets the primary passage for external forces to provide aid to the DPP authorities, according to Zhang's analysis.

"This demonstrates that the PLA has unwavering resolve and formidable capabilities to cut off this passage and deter external forces from interfering. Overall, these five exercise zones have formed a posture of closing the door to beat the dog against the DPP authorities," Zhang said.