// Global Analysis Archive
The source argues that senior personnel investigations in early 2026 are occurring alongside accelerating PLA capability development, with large-scale exercises through late 2025 framed as cumulative preparation for Taiwan contingencies. It highlights Justice Mission 2025, growing maritime-coercion integration, and potential Maritime Militia massing as indicators of expanding options short of invasion while logistics and joint-integration constraints persist.
China’s PLA Eastern Theater Command conducted Dec. 29–30 drills near Taiwan that Taiwanese officials and analysts described as unusually close and among the largest in several years, emphasizing simulated route-blocking operations. The episode highlights intensifying deterrence competition with the United States while leaving open questions about the PLA’s ability to sustain a prolonged blockade under contested conditions.
China’s Dec. 29–30 drills around Taiwan operated closer to the island than prior iterations and were assessed by analysts as the largest since 2022, emphasizing route denial and blockade-relevant tactics. The activity also served strategic signaling toward the United States, while raising questions about the PLA’s ability to sustain a prolonged blockade under contested conditions.
Two days of PLA drills on Dec. 29–30 operated closer to Taiwan’s coast and were assessed by analysts in the source as the largest since 2022, with activity consistent with rehearsing blockade-relevant tasks. The episode also highlighted immediate coercive effects through civilian route disruption while leaving open questions about the PLA’s ability to sustain a prolonged blockade under contested conditions.
China’s Dec. 29–30, 2025 drills near Taiwan featured close-in activity and high sortie counts that analysts characterize as a practical demonstration of blockade-related tactics. The episode underscores coercive leverage through civilian disruption while leaving open questions about the PLA’s ability to sustain a prolonged blockade under contested conditions.
PLA Eastern Theater Command drills on Dec. 29–30 operated unusually close to Taiwan’s coast and were assessed by analysts as the largest since 2022, with activity consistent with rehearsing blockade elements. The episode disrupted civilian flights and underscored a central uncertainty highlighted in the source: whether the PLA can sustain a prolonged blockade under contested conditions and potential external interference.
China’s PLA conducted large-scale Dec. 29–30 drills around Taiwan, including activity within the contiguous zone and simulated disruption of key air and sea routes. The episode signals blockade-oriented coercive options and deterrence messaging toward potential external involvement, while leaving open questions about long-duration sustainment under contested conditions.
China’s PLA conducted two days of drills around Taiwan on Dec. 29–30, including activity near the contiguous zone and simulated blockage of key air and sea routes, according to the source. Analysts cited assess the drills as the largest since 2022, highlighting blockade signaling, civil disruption effects, and open questions about PLA sustainment under contested conditions.
China’s PLA conducted Dec. 29–30 drills around Taiwan that Taiwan’s defense authorities and analysts described as unusually close and among the largest in more than three years, emphasizing simulated disruption of key air and sea routes. The activity appears intended to strengthen blockade-relevant procedures while signaling deterrence toward potential U.S. involvement, even as sustainment under prolonged conflict conditions remains an open question in the source.
Source reporting describes large-scale PLA Eastern Theater Command exercises on 29–30 December 2025 simulating a naval and coast guard blockade of Taiwan, with high sortie volumes and operations closer to the island. The drills appear aimed at refining sustained coercion tactics and shaping deterrence dynamics amid an ongoing cycle of military signaling and counter-exercises.
China’s PLA conducted Dec. 29–30 drills closer to Taiwan’s coast than recent exercises, described by analysts as a major rehearsal for blocking key air and sea routes. The activity also appears intended to deter external intervention while testing coercive effects such as civilian aviation disruption.
The source argues that senior personnel investigations in early 2026 are occurring alongside accelerating PLA capability development, with large-scale exercises through late 2025 framed as cumulative preparation for Taiwan contingencies. It highlights Justice Mission 2025, growing maritime-coercion integration, and potential Maritime Militia massing as indicators of expanding options short of invasion while logistics and joint-integration constraints persist.
China’s PLA Eastern Theater Command conducted Dec. 29–30 drills near Taiwan that Taiwanese officials and analysts described as unusually close and among the largest in several years, emphasizing simulated route-blocking operations. The episode highlights intensifying deterrence competition with the United States while leaving open questions about the PLA’s ability to sustain a prolonged blockade under contested conditions.
China’s Dec. 29–30 drills around Taiwan operated closer to the island than prior iterations and were assessed by analysts as the largest since 2022, emphasizing route denial and blockade-relevant tactics. The activity also served strategic signaling toward the United States, while raising questions about the PLA’s ability to sustain a prolonged blockade under contested conditions.
Two days of PLA drills on Dec. 29–30 operated closer to Taiwan’s coast and were assessed by analysts in the source as the largest since 2022, with activity consistent with rehearsing blockade-relevant tasks. The episode also highlighted immediate coercive effects through civilian route disruption while leaving open questions about the PLA’s ability to sustain a prolonged blockade under contested conditions.
China’s Dec. 29–30, 2025 drills near Taiwan featured close-in activity and high sortie counts that analysts characterize as a practical demonstration of blockade-related tactics. The episode underscores coercive leverage through civilian disruption while leaving open questions about the PLA’s ability to sustain a prolonged blockade under contested conditions.
PLA Eastern Theater Command drills on Dec. 29–30 operated unusually close to Taiwan’s coast and were assessed by analysts as the largest since 2022, with activity consistent with rehearsing blockade elements. The episode disrupted civilian flights and underscored a central uncertainty highlighted in the source: whether the PLA can sustain a prolonged blockade under contested conditions and potential external interference.
China’s PLA conducted large-scale Dec. 29–30 drills around Taiwan, including activity within the contiguous zone and simulated disruption of key air and sea routes. The episode signals blockade-oriented coercive options and deterrence messaging toward potential external involvement, while leaving open questions about long-duration sustainment under contested conditions.
China’s PLA conducted two days of drills around Taiwan on Dec. 29–30, including activity near the contiguous zone and simulated blockage of key air and sea routes, according to the source. Analysts cited assess the drills as the largest since 2022, highlighting blockade signaling, civil disruption effects, and open questions about PLA sustainment under contested conditions.
China’s PLA conducted Dec. 29–30 drills around Taiwan that Taiwan’s defense authorities and analysts described as unusually close and among the largest in more than three years, emphasizing simulated disruption of key air and sea routes. The activity appears intended to strengthen blockade-relevant procedures while signaling deterrence toward potential U.S. involvement, even as sustainment under prolonged conflict conditions remains an open question in the source.
Source reporting describes large-scale PLA Eastern Theater Command exercises on 29–30 December 2025 simulating a naval and coast guard blockade of Taiwan, with high sortie volumes and operations closer to the island. The drills appear aimed at refining sustained coercion tactics and shaping deterrence dynamics amid an ongoing cycle of military signaling and counter-exercises.
China’s PLA conducted Dec. 29–30 drills closer to Taiwan’s coast than recent exercises, described by analysts as a major rehearsal for blocking key air and sea routes. The activity also appears intended to deter external intervention while testing coercive effects such as civilian aviation disruption.
| ID | Title | Category | Date | Views | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RPT-1388 | Forest Over Trees: PLA Capability Growth Continues Amid Senior-Level Discipline Actions | PLA | 2026-02-20 | 0 | ACCESS » |
| RPT-1246 | PLA ‘Justice Mission 2025’ Drills Near Taiwan Signal Blockade Rehearsal and External Deterrence | Taiwan Strait | 2026-02-17 | 0 | ACCESS » |
| RPT-961 | PLA ‘Justice Mission 2025’ Drills Near Taiwan Signal Blockade Rehearsal and Deterrence Messaging | Taiwan Strait | 2026-02-10 | 0 | ACCESS » |
| RPT-512 | PLA ‘Justice Mission 2025’ Drills Near Taiwan Signal Blockade Rehearsal and Deterrence Messaging | Taiwan Strait | 2026-02-01 | 0 | ACCESS » |
| RPT-1161 | PLA ‘Justice Mission 2025’ Drills Near Taiwan Highlight Blockade Signaling and Sustainment Questions | Taiwan Strait | 2025-12-09 | 0 | ACCESS » |
| RPT-315 | PLA ‘Justice Mission 2025’ Drills Near Taiwan Signal Blockade Rehearsal and Deterrence Messaging | Taiwan Strait | 2025-11-16 | 0 | ACCESS » |
| RPT-595 | PLA ‘Justice Mission 2025’ Drills Near Taiwan Signal Blockade Options and Deterrence Messaging | Taiwan Strait | 2025-11-15 | 0 | ACCESS » |
| RPT-847 | PLA ‘Justice Mission 2025’ Drills Near Taiwan Signal Blockade Rehearsal and U.S. Deterrence Messaging | Taiwan Strait | 2025-11-06 | 0 | ACCESS » |
| RPT-1263 | PLA ‘Justice Mission 2025’ Drills Near Taiwan Signal Route-Denial Focus and Deterrence Messaging | Taiwan Strait | 2025-10-19 | 0 | ACCESS » |
| RPT-593 | PLA ‘Justice Mission 2025’ Signals Intensified Blockade Rehearsals Around Taiwan | PLA | 2025-09-13 | 0 | ACCESS » |
| RPT-529 | PLA ‘Justice Mission 2025’ Drills Near Taiwan Signal Blockade Rehearsal and Deterrence Messaging | Taiwan Strait | 2025-07-23 | 0 | ACCESS » |