PLA live-fire drills around Taiwan to disrupt more than 100,000 airline passengers

China’s People’s Liberation Army launched its largest-ever joint air-sea exercises around Taiwan on 29 December under the codename “Justice Mission 2025.” Taiwan’s Civil Aeronautics Administration warned that the manoeuvres – which close large blocks of airspace between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. on 30 December – will force rerouting or delay of up to 857 international flights and the cancellation of 84 domestic services, impacting more than 100,000 travellers.

While most mainland-to-Europe and trans-Pacific services can bypass the restricted zones with minimal extra flying time, flights to Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asia that normally overfly the Taiwan Strait will face lengthier detours, adding 20-40 minutes and higher fuel burn. Cargo carriers are bracing for knock-on delays as aircraft rotate back into busy pre-New Year schedules.



Travel-risk consultancies have issued Level-2 advisories, recommending that companies with personnel transiting Taiwan or southern China reconfirm flight status 24 hours before departure and review business-continuity plans that rely on just-in-time components shipped via airfreight.

Taiwan’s transport ministry is coordinating alternative routings with the International Civil Aviation Organization; however, only three of the 14 standard east-Asia airway corridors remain unaffected. Maritime operators report minor diversions but no suspension of ferry services across the Xiamen-Kinmen and Pingtan-Taichung routes.

The drills follow a US$11 billion U.S.–Taiwan arms package approved earlier this month. Analysts warn that frequent large-scale exercises could erode airline confidence in using Taiwanese airspace, potentially pushing more traffic over mainland FIRs and Hong Kong – a scenario that would strengthen China’s position as a regional air-traffic hub but raise fuel and insurance costs for carriers.