China's Justice Mission 2025 War Games: How Blockade Drills Disrupted Taiwan Air Routes
Key Points
- 1Justice Mission 2025 was the largest Chinese war game since 2022 by area, with zones breaching Taiwan's territorial waters.
- 2The drills explicitly simulated a blockade of major ports (Keelung, Kaohsiung) and directly interfered with international civil aviation routes, affecting over 100,000 passengers.
- 3Taiwan's Civil Aviation Authority reported 84 domestic flights to Kinmen and Matsu were cancelled, and condemned China for violating ICAO norms by providing only one day's notice.
- 4Taiwan tracked 130 Chinese air sorties, with 90 crossing into the ADIZ, marking the second-largest incursion since 2022.
China recently concluded its two-day “Justice Mission 2025” military drills around Taiwan. These exercises mark the sixth round of large-scale war games since 2022. The drills included 10 hours of live-fire exercises on Tuesday.
Chinese forces simulated encircling Taiwan and blockading its major ports. This included the vital deep-water ports of Keelung and Kaohsiung. The military deployed naval destroyers, fighter planes, bombers, and long-range missiles.
Aviation Operations Disrupted
The drills caused significant disruption to regional air travel. Taiwan's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) reported major restrictions on air routes. This impacted the Taipei Flight Information Region.
- More than 100,000 international air travelers were affected by delays or diversions.
- Over 300 international flights faced potential delays due to necessary rerouting.
- Domestic flights to the offshore islands of Kinmen and Matsu were severely hit.
- A total of 84 domestic flights were cancelled, affecting about 6,000 passengers.
International carriers quickly adjusted to the situation. They made heavy use of two air corridors left open by China. These routes head northeast toward Japan. The drills affected 11 of Taipei's 14 primary flight routes, according to the CAA.
Violation of International Norms
The Taiwan CAA condemned the military action. They stated the drills disregarded regional flight safety. The CAA noted that China issued its notice only one day before the drills began. This is a serious violation of standard International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) practices. ICAO regulations typically require seven days' advance notice for such route-affecting exercises.
Escalation and Blockade Simulation
Experts noted key differences from previous military exercises. The “Justice Mission 2025” drills were the largest since 2022 in terms of area covered. Some designated zones actually breached Taiwan's territorial waters.
Unlike past iterations, these drills explicitly focused on a total blockade. This demonstrates China's capability for Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD). This strategy aims to cut Taiwan off from the world. It also seeks to prevent external actors, like the US and Japan, from intervening.
A blockade would disrupt vital global shipping routes through the Taiwan Strait. It would also impact critical imports like natural gas and coal. Taiwan relies on these imports for nearly all its energy needs.
Military Presence
Taiwan's Ministry of Defence tracked significant military activity. They recorded 130 air sorties by Chinese aircraft in 24 hours. Ninety of these sorties crossed into Taiwan's Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ). This was the second-largest incursion of its kind since 2022.
Political Context and Response
The drills came days after the US approved a record-breaking $11.1 billion arms sale to Taiwan. China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the drills a "punitive and deterrent action" against "separatist forces". Taiwan's Defence Minister Wellington Koo described the exercises as a form of "cognitive warfare". He said the actions severely undermine regional peace and stability. For more coverage on global air travel and commercial aviation news, visit flying.flights.
US President Donald Trump remained quiet on the drills. He told reporters he was "not worried." Analysts suggest this was a diplomatic strategy. It aims to avoid upsetting a temporary trade truce between the US and China.
Topics
You Might Also Like
Discover more aviation news based on similar topics
How China's Port Blockade Drills Could Disrupt Asia-Pacific Air Traffic
China's "Justice Mission 2025" military drills simulating a Taiwan port blockade threaten to disrupt Asia-Pacific air traffic and regional commercial aviation news operations.
PLA Air Force Drills Near Taiwan Trigger Regional Airspace Closures
PLA Eastern Theater Command launched "Justice Mission 2025" joint military drills around Taiwan, causing significant regional air traffic disruption and potential flight path safety
How China's Sanctions on Boeing's Defense Branch Threaten Commercial Aircraft Sales
China sanctioned a Boeing defense branch and Northrop Grumman over Taiwan arms sales, raising geopolitical risk for Boeing's critical commercial aircraft market in China.
Boeing St. Louis Sanctioned by China: Will Commercial Aviation Deals Be Next?
China sanctioned 20 US defense firms, including the Boeing St. Louis branch, over a US$11.1 billion Taiwan arms sale, escalating US-China aviation tensions.
China Drills Force Taiwan Airspace Reroutes, Impacting Asia-Pacific Flights
China's "Justice Mission 2025" war games near Taiwan forced air traffic rerouting and established a temporary danger zone, disrupting key Asia-Pacific commercial flight paths.
Why Do Delhi Airport Fog Delays Persist? The CAT IIIB System Explained
Dense winter fog at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, the country's busiest hub, caused over 100 flight cancellations and diversions, triggering cascading delays across India
Never Miss Critical Aviation Updates
Get the top aviation stories delivered to your inbox every morning