Taiwan's Republic of China Air Force redeployed Mirage 2000 and F-CK-1 fighters along with P-3C maritime patrol aircraft to Hualien Air Base in eastern Taiwan during the afternoon of December 29, according to a Liberty Times report shared by @TaiwansDefense on X. Some F-16s are on ready status equipped with AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles. The redeployment occurs amid China's ongoing 'Justice Mission 2025' exercises around Taiwan on their second day, as announced by China's Eastern Theater Command and reported by Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration. Earlier on December 30, China's People's Liberation Army Air Force, Navy, and Rocket Forces conducted a long-range joint firepower strike in waters south of Taiwan at 13:00 local time, according to a statement reported by @TaiwanMonitor between 5:15 a.m. and 5:45 a.m. UTC. Taiwan's military also confirmed PLA live-fire drills north of Taiwan that morning, per @TaiwanMonitor posts shared by @JaimeOcon1. Taiwan Coast Guard ship Taoyuan maintained 24-hour patrols to block Chinese vessels, with footage of close encounters released earlier on December 30, as reported by @TaiwanMonitor. President Donald Trump stated earlier on December 30 that similar Chinese naval exercises around Taiwan have occurred for 20 years and noted no communication from Xi Jinping, according to an X post by @Acyn.
