President Donald Trump responded to a reporter's question on China's naval exercises encircling Taiwan between 4:16 a.m. and 4:45 a.m. UTC on Dec. 30, stating he has a 'great relationship' with Xi Jinping, who has not informed him of the activities, and that such exercises have occurred for 20 years, according to an X post by @Acyn. The remarks address China's ongoing 'Justice Mission 2025' exercises around Taiwan on their second day, involving patrols and simulated operations north and south of the island, as announced by China's Eastern Theater Command and previously reported by Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration. Taiwan Coast Guard ship Taoyuan has conducted 24-hour patrols to block Chinese vessels, with footage of close encounters released earlier, according to posts by @TaiwanMonitor during prior reporting windows on Dec. 30. China separately called for a new US engagement model to build on a thaw with the Trump administration while reaffirming its Taiwan stance, per a Bloomberg report shared by @business on X before 4:15 a.m. UTC.
