By Jun Sheng

On December 29, 2025, the Chinese PLA Eastern Theater Command conducted joint military drills code-named "Justice Mission 2025." Surging steel forces sweep in around the island of Taiwan. It is a warning to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces and external interference forces, and a legitimate and necessary action to safeguard China's national sovereignty and uphold national unity. 

The collusion between the DPP authorities and external forces in seeking "Taiwan independence" provocations is the root cause of the current tensions and instability across the Taiwan Strait. Since Lai Ching-te came to power, the DPP authorities have stubbornly pursued a strategy of seeking independence by relying on external forces and resisting reunification by force, continuously distorting the shared historical roots across the Taiwan Strait and maliciously constricting space for exchanges and dialogue. 

For their own sordid political interests, the DPP authorities are attempting to turn Taiwan into a "weapons depot" and "powder keg," hijacking Taiwan compatriots on-board its "Taiwan Independence" war chariot and pushing the island ever deeper toward the abyss of war. From illicitly visiting certain countries, to declaring plans to raise Taiwan's defense budget to 5 percent of GDP by 2030, and from reiterating that US–Taiwan relations are "rock-solid" to pushing for US$40 billion in arms purchases, the DPP authorities have laid bare their servile deference to the US and their reckless obsession with militarization.

The US bears unshrinkable responsibility for the continuous deterioration of the situation across the Taiwan Strait. Although the US claims to adhere to the "one-China policy" and not to interfere in China's internal affairs, and stated in its latest National Security Strategy report released not long ago that it does not support any unilateral change to the status quo across the Taiwan Strait, its actions tell a different story. 

In practice, some US politicians have long engaged in duplicity and bad faith, unscrupulously playing the "Taiwan card," openly upgrading US-Taiwan relations, and intensifying arms sales to Taiwan. These actions gradually encroach upon, obscure and hollow out the one-China principle, in an attempt to obstruct China's reunification process and pursue the delusion of containing China with Taiwan.

These retrogressive steps will never change the legal fact that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory and the international community's commitment to the one-China principle, and will never stop the historical trend that China will and must be reunified. A series of international documents, including the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation, unequivocally affirm China's sovereignty over Taiwan and constitute an integral part of the postwar international order. The Anti-Secession Law, now in force for 20 years, has formed a powerful deterrent with a sword hanging over "Taiwan independence" separatist forces and has helped forge a broad international consensus that the red line must not be crossed. Facts fully demonstrate that adherence to the one-China principle is an overriding trend that represents international justice and enjoys popular support.

For recalcitrant "Taiwan independence" separatists and ill-intentioned external interference forces, only measures they can understand and genuinely fear can serve as an effective warning and punishment. From "Joint Sword" to "Strait Thunder," these military exercises conducted around the Taiwan island carry profound political significance, clear strategic orientation, and strong military purpose. They are the multipronged approach to combating separatism and advancing reunification, driving China's preparations for military struggle deeper and more solidly, and increasingly unleashing the dual effects of promoting combat readiness through training and deterring war through strength.

The “Justice Mission–2025” military exercise likewise has clear, pronounced purposes. It is aimed at safeguarding China's national sovereignty and territorial integrity, protecting the fundamental interests as well as the security and well-being of all Chinese people, including Taiwan compatriots, and resolutely opposing "Taiwan independence" separatist activities and external interference forces. In this sense, the exercise carries major responsibilities and a noble mission. Meanwhile, all related arrangements of the exercise are in full conformity with the international law and the basic norms governing international relations, as well as with China's Constitution, the Anti-Secession Law, and the National Security Law. It is therefore entirely justified, lawful, and legitimate, and beyond reproach.

Looking across past military exercises, what has changed are the code names, while what has remained constant is the resolve and determination and what has been demonstrated is hard-core strength. At present, the balance of power across the Taiwan Strait has undergone a fundamental shift, with the mainland firmly holding the initiative and leadership in cross-Strait relations. In recent years, as a series of major strategic weapons and equipment have been rapidly commissioned, the pace of the Chinese PLA's advance toward building a world-class military has become ever more resolute and confident. The September 3 military parade, not long ago, marked the first concentrated public display of the fresh structure of China's force composition. It demonstrated to the world the strong capability of the Chinese military to safeguard national sovereignty, security, and development interests, as well as to uphold world peace. Recently, the J-35, J-15T, and KJ-600 carrier-based aircraft successfully conducted their first electromagnetic catapult launches from the aircraft carrier Fujian, drawing widespread attention. This steel tide, fully capable of overwhelming any would-be aggressors, provided a comprehensive display of the new ethos of political development in the people's armed forces in the new era, the fresh structure of force composition, the latest progress in modernization of national defense and the army, and the new achievements in readiness and combat preparedness. It sends a clear message that the Chinese PLA remains ready and is able to fight and win at all times.

Here we solemnly urge the US not to attempt to hand knives to "Taiwan independence" separatists or place obstacles in the way of the Chinese people. Persisting in such actions will only lead to self-destruction and self-inflicted consequences. At the same time, we sternly warn the DPP authorities to face reality and follow the prevailing trend of the times. Pursuing "Taiwan independence" separatism is doomed to a dead end with no way out. The Chinese PLA will never stop its operations to fight against "Taiwan independence" forces and promote national reunification. Each time Taiwan independence separatists make provocations, they will be responded to with stronger countermeasures from the PLA, until China is completely reunified.