Japan Raises Concerns After China Conducts Live-Fire Drills Around Taiwan

Tokyo said the exercises escalated tensions in the Taiwan Strait as Beijing’s actions triggered diplomatic and economic fallout.

A Chinese military unit takes part in long-range live-fire drills targeting waters north of Taiwan, from an undisclosed location in this screenshot from a video released by the Eastern Theatre Command of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Dec. 30, 2025. Eastern Theatre Command/Handout via Reuters

China staged massive live-fire military drills all around Taiwan on Monday and Tuesday, drawing criticism from multiple countries and prompting an official response from Japan, which said the drills have heightened tensions in the Taiwan Strait.

In a statement released Jan. 1, the Japanese government said it had conveyed its concerns to Beijing, warning that the exercises increase tensions in the region.