Beijing [China], December 31 : The Chinese PLA Eastern Theatre Command completed the "Justice Mission 2025" Drills around Taiwan, the official press account of China's armed forces said on Wednesday.
In a post on X, China Military Bugle cited Senior Captain Li Xi, a spokesperson for the Chinese PLA Eastern Theatre Command.
"The PLA Eastern Theater Command has successfully completed 'Justice Mission 2025' military drills and fully tested the integrated joint operations capabilities of its troops. The troops of the PLA Eastern Theatre Command will remain on high alert at all times, keep strengthening combat readiness through arduous training, resolutely thwart the attempts of 'Taiwan Independence' separatists and external intervention, and firmly safeguard China's national sovereignty and territorial integrity."
https://x.com/ChinaMilBugle/status/2006311061654557008?s=20
The drills, which have been codenamed 'Justice Mission 2025', involved the PLA Eastern Theatre Command dispatching its Army, Navy, Air Force and Rocket Force troops to conduct joint military drills in the Taiwan Strait and areas to the north, southwest, southeast and east of Taiwan.
Taiwan's Minister of National Defence, Wellington Koo, said that the PLA's provocative actions threaten regional stability, as reported by Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence on Tuesday.
The Justice Mission came shortly after the United States had approved a record-breaking arms sale of over USD 11 billion to Taiwan.
This includes medium-range missiles, howitzers and drones, according to the US State Department. The potential sale of eight arms packages to Taiwan, including HIMARS rocket systems, anti-tank missiles, and drones, at an estimated total cost of US$11.1 billion, Focus Taiwan news outlet said.
Five of the eight arms packages the M109A7 howitzers, HIMARS rocket systems, TOW 2B anti-tank missiles, anti-armor drones, and FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank missiles are covered in a USD39.85 billion special defence budget put forth last month by the Taiwan government, pending lawmakers' review, the Taiwanese news outlet said, quoting the country's Defence Ministry.
In response to Washington's decision to approve large-scale arms sales to Taiwan, China on Friday announced strong countermeasures against several US defence companies and senior executives.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said it will impose sanctions on 20 US defence-related companies and 10 senior executives who have been involved in supplying weapons to Taiwan in recent years. The action has been taken under China's Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law and will come into effect immediately.
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