China Fires Rockets on Day Two of 'Justice Mission 2025' Drills Encircling Taiwan

Overview

• PLA units conducted long-range rocket launches and simulated port blockades, employing destroyers, frigates, fighters, bombers and drones around the island.
• The military marked five exclusion zones at sea and in the air and told unrelated ships and aircraft to avoid them during 08:00–18:00 local activity windows.
• Taiwan reported 130 Chinese military aircraft in 24 hours along with 14 warships and eight government vessels, and it mobilized forces for rapid-response drills.
• Civilian disruptions included tightened air-traffic control and the cancellation of 76 domestic flights to outlying islands as authorities raised alert levels.
• China frames the operation as safeguarding sovereignty after a roughly $11 billion U.S. arms sale and sanctions on U.S. defense firms, with media describing the maneuvers as the largest around Taiwan in months.