Photo: PLA Eastern Theater Command

The PLA Eastern Theater Command launched on Monday the "Justice Mission 2025" military exercises. The Eastern Theater Command has released intensive updates on the drill dynamics, which fully demonstrates the PLA's confidence. The second poster issued by the Eastern Theater Command further shows the operational advantages of modern unmanned equipment, including full-domain coverage, flexible maneuverability and precision strikes. 

A military affairs expert pointed out that the defining feature of this drill, which sets it starkly apart from previous PLA exercises in the Taiwan Straits, is that it "strikes as soon as it commences." The PLA is not afraid to fight; rather, it cherishes the fraternal bond between compatriots, and refuses to let the people in Taiwan be plunged into the flames of war because of the separatist acts of the "Taiwan independence" forces.

At 7:30 am, the Eastern Theater Command announced that it has launched the "Justice Mission 2025" military exercises, and simultaneously released a notice on and a sketch map of the joint military drill areas.

At 8:00 am, naval and air forces of the PLA Eastern Theater Command conducted combat readiness patrols surrounding Taiwan island. Senior Colonel Shi Yi, spokesperson of the PLA Eastern Theater Command, said that starting from Monday, the PLA Eastern Theater Command is dispatching its naval and air assets to carry out combat readiness patrols around the Taiwan Island. The vessels and aircraft will approach the Taiwan Island in close proximity from different directions to test the capabilities of the troops to conduct rapid maneuvers, form all-dimensional posture, and execute systemic blockade and control.

At 9:00 am, the PLA Eastern Theater Command conducted strikes on mobile ground targets in the middle areas of the Taiwan Straits. The PLA Eastern Theater Command is employing fighters, bombers and unmanned aerial vehicles in coordination with long-range rocket fires to conduct drills in the waters and airspace in the middle areas of the Taiwan Strait, focusing on striking mobile ground targets. The drills intend to test the troops' capabilities of precision strikes on key targets.

While no live footage has been released as of press time, the theme poster released by the Eastern Theater Command at 9:30 am, "Arrow of Justice, Control and Denial," showed imagery of multidimensional firepower and precision strikes targeting vital strongholds. Notably, volleys of flying arrows serve as the core visual symbol of the poster. A military affairs expert said that the dense, swift and precise characteristics embodied by the "flying arrows" vividly demonstrate the operational advantages of modern unmanned equipment: full-domain coverage, flexible maneuverability and precision strikes. In the poster, the arrows fly forth from the mainland and pierce straight into the "green vermin" on the island.

Some comments on the internet noted that these "green vermin" bear similarities to the figure in "Shell", a cartoon previously released by the Eastern Theater Command, making the poster's explicit targeting of "Taiwan independence" forces crystal clear. The largest arrow, blazing with flames, streaks directly toward Taiwan's warship Keelung, and a foreign warship in the distance turn and flee upon witnessing this scene. Some netizens commented that the historical scenario of "the Chiang Kai-shek warships were hit, and the US warships fled" during the artillery bombardment of Kinmen has replayed itself. As a popular online remark puts it: "Flying arrows weave a sky-wide net; foreign invaders dare not enter, and die-hard separatists have nowhere to flee."

Professor Zhang Chi from the National Defense University told the Global Times on Monday that the defining feature and highlight of this exercise is that it "strikes as soon as it commences".

"Compared with the PLA's previous exercises in the Taiwan Straits, especially the series of drills conducted from 2022 to the first half of 2025, this exercise is vastly different. Past exercises usually followed a pattern of 'gradual escalation': troop deployments were first carried out, followed by a gradual escalation to live-fire drills. However, live-fire drills are scheduled to be organized shortly after the launch of this exercise. This demonstrates two key points: first, the participating PLA troops have further integrated the requirements of actual combat into every stage of the exercise - troops train as they would fight in real warfare; second, we have sent a stern deterrent signal that the PLA resolutely punishes the 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces and firmly opposes external interfering forces," Zhang said.

Every time the PLA conducts military exercises, certain individuals in Taiwan tout the fallacy that "the mainland will never really strike". In response to this, Zhang said that some "green camp" politicians on the island peddle the narratives that "the mainland will never really strike" and "external forces will come to Taiwan's rescue", in an attempt to mislead the people on the island. 

Zhang said, "In reality, the PLA is not afraid to fight. Rather, we cherish the fraternal bond between compatriots, and refuse to let the people in Taiwan be plunged into the flames of war because of the separatist acts of the 'Taiwan independence' forces. The two sides of the Taiwan Straits belong to one family, bound by shared blood and heritage. We are the ones who least want to see war and turmoil break out in the Taiwan Straits. However, if the 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces dare to cross the red line, and if external interfering forces dare to gravely undermine China's core interests, the PLA will deliver a resolute and crushing blow against them."

Zhang said, "We call on the people on the island to uphold the shared conviction that our national territory must not be divided, our nation must not be plunged into chaos, our civilization must not be torn apart, and our civilization must not be severed. We urge them to draw a clear line with the 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces, jointly safeguard national reunification, and share in the glory of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation."

According to reports by media on the island of Taiwan on Monday, Kuomintang Chairperson Cheng Li-wun said in an interview with a radio program that Taiwan has truly suffered eight lifetimes of misfortune for having the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in power. She said that if the DPP would only discard its two core pillars: opposition to nuclear power and the pursuit of "Taiwan independence", Taiwan would see an immediate lifting of the gloom, the two sides of the Taiwan Straits would catch an immediate glimpse of the dawn of peace, Taiwan's industries would no longer face the fear of power shortages, and the island would embrace a promising future at once.

Cheng said that Lai Ching-te has been relentlessly attempting to provoke and tread right on the edge of the red line. The DPP's erroneous cross-Straits policy is the root cause that has pushed Taiwan to the brink of imminent war and peril, and triggered intense anxiety in the international community. "He is fully resolved and obstinately determined to forge ahead down this road of ruin and dead end to the very end - and what is more grievous is that he has dragged the 23 million people in Taiwan down with him. This is an utterly tragic state of affairs," Cheng said.