Taiwan Activates High-Alert Defense and Reroutes Aviation Amid Port Blockade Chinese Drills

Key Points:

• Over 100,000 international passengers face travel chaos as Taiwan diverts flights and China establishes seven “temporary danger zones” for live-fire drills.
• China has launched its sixth major round of war games since 2022, deploying a massive “Justice Mission 2025” fleet that includes an amphibious assault formation and 89 aircraft.
• Taiwan has activated “Rapid Response Exercises” and showcased US-supplied HIMARS missile systems as a direct deterrent to simulated port blockades.

Tensions in the Taiwan Strait reached a fever pitch on Monday as the Taiwanese government placed its armed forces on high alert, responding to a record-breaking surge in Chinese military activity. 

The Ministry of National Defense (MND) in Taipei confirmed it has mobilised “appropriate forces” to counter Beijing’s “Justice Mission 2025” exercises, a large-scale operation that has forced the rerouting of hundreds of commercial flights.

The latest Chinese military drills have significantly altered the security landscape of the Indo-Pacific. As reported by The Guardian, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) dispatched 89 warplanes and 28 naval vessels toward the island in a single day, the highest tally in over a year. 

Among the fleet, Taiwanese intelligence detected a formation of four amphibious assault ships positioned 160 nautical miles west of the island’s southern tip, signaling a sophisticated rehearsal for a potential multi-pronged invasion.

Flight Diversions and Danger Zones

The most immediate impact of the Chinese military drills has been felt by the global aviation sector. Taiwan’s Civil Aviation Administration announced that more than 100,000 international travelers and 6,000 domestic passengers are facing disruptions. 

China’s Maritime Safety Administration issued navigation warnings for seven “temporary danger zones” encircling the island, effectively barring aircraft and vessels from these areas during a 10-hour live-fire window.

India Today reported that international flights are being diverted away from these designated zones to ensure passenger safety. These diversions add significant time and fuel costs to routes connecting Southeast Asia with North America and Northeast Asia. 

Analysts suggest that by declaring these exclusion zones, Beijing is testing its ability to implement a functional blockade of Taiwan’s primary economic arteries, specifically the ports of Keelung and Kaohsiung.

Taiwan’s Response

In response to the unprecedented scale of the Chinese military drills, Taiwan’s Presidential Office spokeswoman, Karen Kuo, condemned the maneuvers as a “blatant challenge to international law.”

To demonstrate its defensive resolve, the MND released video footage showing the deployment of mobile shore-based missile systems and the takeoff of Mirage 2000 fighter jets from Hsinchu Air Base.

Central to Taipei’s defense strategy is the activation of “Rapid Response Exercises.” These drills are specifically designed to move ground troops and artillery into defensive positions at a moment’s notice, countering the risk that the PLA might suddenly transition from a training exercise into a real-world assault.

Reported by CBS News, the Taiwanese military also showcased its US-supplied HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems), which are capable of striking targets across the strait in China’s Fujian province.

Geopolitical Triggers and Historical Context

This current wave of Chinese military drills follows two major geopolitical developments. First, the United States recently approved a record $11.1 billion arms package for Taiwan, including longer-range missile systems. Second, remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, suggesting that Japan could intervene militarily in a Taiwan crisis, infuriated Beijing.

The PLA’s Eastern Theater Command, led by Senior Colonel Shi Yi, described the exercises as a “stern warning” against “separatist forces” and “external interference.”

Historically, these drills have become more frequent and complex since the 2022 visit of then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

However, “Justice Mission 2025” marks the first time the PLA has explicitly highlighted “all-dimensional deterrence outside the island chain,” a move clearly aimed at deterring the US and its allies from entering the theater of conflict.

Economic and Regional Impact

Despite the high-stakes military posturing, Taiwan’s financial markets remained surprisingly resilient.

Stocks in Taipei rose 0.8% to a record high on Monday morning, reflecting a public that has become accustomed to Beijing’s “salami-slicing” tactics. However, the long-term implications for regional stability remain grim.

The Japan Times noted that the current exercises involve “sea-air combat readiness patrols” and “joint seizure of comprehensive superiority,” indicating that the PLA is no longer just practicing presence, but is actively rehearsing the logistical and tactical requirements of a full-scale blockade.