China slams international criticism of its Taiwan military drills
China launched a sharp diplomatic counterattack on Wednesday against global backlash over its two-day military exercises encircling Taiwan, branding statements from Japan, Australia, the United Kingdom, the European Union, New Zealand, and the Philippines as "extremely hypocritical." Beijing lodged formal protests with several governments, escalating tensions in the region just hours after the People's Liberation Army declared its "Mission Justice 2025" drills a resounding success.
The maneuvers, conducted Monday and Tuesday, marked the sixth major cycle of such operations since 2022. They simulated a blockade of Taiwan's key ports, deploying rockets, fighter jets, warships, and bombers across seven zones surrounding the island. These actions disrupted more than 100,000 air travelers, with Taiwan reporting flight cancellations and delays as Chinese authorities designated five live-fire zones overlapping the island's territorial waters.
Japan's foreign ministry voiced concerns that the drills heightened tensions in the Taiwan Strait, conveying its worries directly to Beijing. Australia labeled them "deeply concerning, destabilizing, and risking regional escalation," while the UK cautioned they amplified risks of conflict in the strait. In response, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian dismissed the rebukes at a press conference, accusing the critics of ignoring Taiwan independence forces and external meddling in China's internal affairs.
Lin charged these nations with irresponsibly commenting on Beijing's legitimate efforts to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity, flipping right and wrong while confusing truth with falsehood, state media reported. China filed stern representations with the involved countries, even as dozens of others including Russia, Cuba, Serbia, Venezuela, Zimbabwe, and Pakistan voiced support for its stance.
The exercises followed the US approval on December 18 of an $11.1 billion arms sale to Taiwan, the largest such package ever for the island. They also came amid rising frictions after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested in November that Tokyo might respond militarily to a Chinese attack on Taiwan. Beijing has repeatedly urged Takaichi to retract her remarks, imposing economic countermeasures like travel warnings for Japan. Taiwan President William Lai Ching-te condemned the drills as "highly provocative and reckless," warning of significant threats to regional stability.
