China Flexes Military Muscle In Full Simulated Blockade Of Taiwan

China deployed warships, bombers and ground forces around Taiwan on Tuesday, the second day of a historic war game menacing the Beijing-claimed island.

The simulated war exercises — dubbed “Justice Mission 2025” by Chinese leaders—involved first-ever deployments of some military craft, and is seen by some analysts as a response to a record $11.1 billion U.S.-Taiwan weapons package announced earlier in December, NBC News reported. The war games began Monday without the knowledge or consent of the United States, a key pledged ally of Taiwan.

President Donald Trump told reporters Monday that the exercises “did not worry him,” according to NBC News, adding that China has “been doing naval exercises for 20 years in that area.”

Lai Ching-te, President of the Republic of China (ROC), the official name of the Taiwanese government, said of the exercises that his country “will steadfastly defend our freedom against coercion.”

“China’s military provocations along the First Island Chain severely disrupt global maritime trade, air traffic & regional peace,” Lai said on X Tuesday. “Taiwan continues to act responsibly, neither escalating tensions nor yielding to threats.”

Chinese state-owned media outlet XinHua said