China's Military Drills Block Air Routes, Disrupting Over 100,000 Travelers

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) recently concluded its large-scale “Justice Mission 2025” military exercises around Taiwan. These two-day drills, held on December 29-30, 2025, significantly impacted commercial aviation operations in the region.

Taiwan's Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) reported the exercise affected 941 civilian flights and over 100,000 passengers. The drills shut down most of Taiwan’s international air routes.

Escalating Military Activity

China's military coercion of Taiwan has become routine. This normalization of high-level activity is part of a deliberate strategy. The PLA's actions are seen as a way to routinize the threat of force. Admiral Samuel Paparo, commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, called the exercises "dress rehearsals for forced unification."

The scale of air activity has increased sharply in recent years. In 2025, the PLA conducted 5,317 sorties around Taiwan, according to the source. This averaged 15 flights daily. Chinese military aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line 3,867 times in 2025, the source reported. The number of PLA aircraft entering Taiwan's self-declared Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) also saw a major rise. The number of provocative flights has surged by 287% in just four years, from 972 in 2021, according to the source.

Justice Mission 2025 Details

The “Justice Mission 2025” exercise simulated a blockade of Taiwan. The drills involved multiple forces from the PLA's Eastern Theater Command. This included the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Rocket Force. The exercise focused on sea-air coordination and integrated blockade.

On the first day, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense recorded 130 PLA aircraft sorties. This included J-20 and J-16 fighters, H-6K bombers, and KJ-500 early warning aircraft. On the second day, 71 aircraft sorties were flown. This activity also included naval vessels and China Coast Guard (CCG) ships.

China also fired 27 rockets from PCH191 multiple rocket launchers (MRLs) from Fujian Province. These 370mm rockets have a range exceeding 300km. An independent analyst noted the PCH191 is "rather optimized for a Taiwan conflict." The rockets' target zones were the closest to Taiwan to date, according to the source.

Impact on Commercial Aviation

The exercise's most immediate effect was the commercial flight disruptions. The designated live-fire zones created temporary no-fly areas. These zones intersected with busy air routes in East Asia.

• The drills affected 857 international flights and 84 domestic flights.
• Domestic flights to outlying islands like Kinmen and Matsu were completely blocked.
• The exercises effectively closed 11 of the 14 international routes into the Taipei Flight Information Region (FIR).
• Airlines like China Airlines and EVA Air had to adjust flight plans.
• Rerouting flights leads to longer flight times and increased fuel burn.

Taiwan's CAA noted that the exercises violated International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) regulations. ICAO rules suggest military exercises that disrupt flight routes should be announced 28 days in advance. China announced the “Justice Mission 2025” schedule only one day prior.

Experts suggest the air traffic disruption was deliberate. It simulated a "quasi-blockade" to test control over Taiwan's air and sea lines of communication. The intent was clear: to demonstrate China's ability to impose control at will. Taipei condemned the show of force as "highly provocative and reckless."

International Response and Future Outlook

The United States urged Beijing to exercise restraint and cease its military pressure. Other concerned nations, including Japan, Germany, and the UK, also issued statements. China, however, claimed support from “several dozen” countries, including Russia and Pakistan.

Analysts view these large-scale exercises as a "gift to foreign intelligence agencies." They allow Taiwan and its allies to observe and assess China's developing warfighting capacity. The key question remains when China might turn one of these rehearsals into a real-world action. The PLA's incessant military activities are seen as telegraphing its true intentions, according to aviation news and defense experts. For more on regional security and commercial aviation news, visit flying.flights.

The United States (FAA) has a vested interest in regional stability. If Taiwan were to fall, the US presence in the western Pacific would be lost. This would severely damage alliances with Japan and South Korea. The US military presence would be limited to Guam and Hawaii, according to the source. The timing of the exercise, during a Western holiday period, was also seen as significant. It may also have been a response to a recent US military equipment sale to Taiwan. The exercise practiced fighting "interventionist" forces beyond the First Island Chain, a direct reference to the USA.