Australia ‘deeply concerned’ about China’s live fire drills as Xi calls reunification ‘unstoppable’
The Chinese president gave a New Year’s Eve speech calling for reunification after a week of expansive live fire drills.
Australia ‘deeply concerned’ about China’s live fire drills as Xi calls reunification ‘unstoppable’
Australian officials have rebuked China’s extensive live fire drill that encircled Taiwan, raising concerns with the country just hours before Chinese President Xi Jinping said the reunification of the island with the mainland was “unstoppable”.
The latest set of exercises, labelled “Justice Mission 2025”, deployed the largest military show of force targeting Taiwan in decades, which Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said was “deeply concerning” and risked inflaming tensions in the region.
China’s President Xi Jinping.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
“Australia strongly opposes any actions that increase the risk of accident, miscalculation or escalation. Differences should be managed through dialogue, not the use of force or coercion,” the statement read.
“Australia opposes any unilateral action to change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait. Peace and stability are in all our interests. Australian officials have raised concerns with Chinese counterparts.”
The statement confirmed Australian officials had raised their concerns with Chinese counterparts over the drills.
Following repeated affirmations that China would seek to reunify with Taiwan by 2027, the People’s Liberation Army held a two-day drill around Taiwan on Monday. The drill, featuring aircraft and warships, simulated a blockade of the country with live-fire exercises encircling the main island, while dozens of rockets struck waters near its northern and eastern shores.
In his annual New Year’s Eve speech offered shortly after the exercise’s completion, Xi echoed sentiments from last year, saying: “Compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are connected by blood that is thicker than water. The historical trend toward national reunification is unstoppable.”
Taiwan’s defence ministry said 77 Chinese aircraft and 25 navy and coast guard vessels had been operating around the island in the 24 hours leading up to Wednesday. A spokesperson for the ministry called the action by the Chinese Communist Party an “aggressive and militaristic” provocation that endangered regional stability.
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In February 2025, a flotilla of three Chinese warships travelled within 150 nautical miles of Sydney, raising alarm bells after they performed live-fire drills in the Tasman Sea that forced the diversion of commercial flights. Concerns over the actions of the Chinese navy near Australia returned last month as the government monitored in the Philippine Sea.