STORY: China's military released footage on Tuesday (December 30) purporting to show its forces firing rockets toward waters north of Taiwan and bomber aircraft taking off at night as part of an encirclement of the island.

Reuters was not able to independently verify the location or the date when the image were taken. Upon checking this footage, no old results were found.

The Eastern Theatre Command said live-firing would take place until 6 p.m. (1000 GMT) in the sea and airspace of five locations surrounding Taiwan and off the Chinese coast, while naval and air force units drilled strikes on maritime and aerial targets as well as anti-submarine operations to the democratically governed island's north and south.

Named "Justice Mission 2025," the drills began 11 days after the U.S. announced a record $11.1 billion arms package to Taiwan and are Beijing's largest exercises to date by total coverage and proximity to the island, following China's Maritime Safety Administration on Monday (December 29) adding two additional live-fire zones.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: FOOTAGE RELEASED BY PLA (PEOPLE'S LIBERATION ARMY) EASTERN THEATER COMMAND SHOWING LONG-RANGE LIVE-FIRE DRILLS AND ROCKETS LANDING IN WATER

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: VIDEO EDITED AT SOURCE

VERIFICATION:

- Reuters was not able to independently verify the location or the date when the image were taken. Upon checking this footage, no old results were found.

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: UNIDENTIFIED LOCATION, CHINA (RELEASED DECEMBER 30, 2025) (PLA EASTERN THEATER COMMAND – Must on-screen courtesy 'PLA Eastern Theater Command' / No resale / No archive / Must not obscure logo) (MUTE)

1. (NIGHT SHOTS) VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS RUNNING TO ASSEMBLE NEAR MILITARY VEHICLES / CAPTION ON SCREEN READING (Chinese): “On the morning of December 30, ground forces of the Eastern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army conducted long-range live-fire exercises targeted at relevant waters north of the Taiwan Island, achieving full accuracy in all strikes."

2. (NIGHT SHOT) MILITARY VEHICLES TURNING ON LIGHTS FOR DRILL COMMENCEMENT / CAPTION ON SCREEN READING (Chinese): “On the morning of December 30, ground forces of the Eastern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army conducted long-range live-fire exercises targeted at relevant waters north of the Taiwan Island, achieving full accuracy in all strikes."

3. (NIGHT SHOT) SOLDIER DIRECTING VEHICLES LEAVING BASE / CAPTION ON SCREEN READING (Chinese): “On the morning of December 30, ground forces of the Eastern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army conducted long-range live-fire exercises targeted at relevant waters north of the Taiwan Island, achieving full accuracy in all strikes."

4. (NIGHT SHOTS) VARIOUS OF FIGHTER JET TAXING ON RUNWAY BEFORE TAKE-OFF / CAPTION ON SCREEN READING (Chinese): “On the morning of December 30, ground forces of the Eastern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army conducted long-range live-fire exercises targeted at relevant waters north of the Taiwan Island, achieving full accuracy in all strikes."

5. (NIGHT SHOT) AERIAL VIEW OF MILITARY VEHICLES MOVING / CAPTION ON SCREEN READING (Chinese): “On the morning of December 30, ground forces of the Eastern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army conducted long-range live-fire exercises targeted at relevant waters north of the Taiwan Island, achieving full accuracy in all strikes."

6. (NIGHT SHOT) SOLDIER DRIVING VEHICLE AS SEEN INSIDE VEHICLE CABIN / CAPTION ON SCREEN READING (Chinese): “On the morning of December 30, ground forces of the Eastern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army conducted long-range live-fire exercises targeted at relevant waters north of the Taiwan Island, achieving full accuracy in all strikes."

7. (NIGHT SHOT) AERIAL VIEW OF VEHICLES ON ROAD / CAPTION ON SCREEN READING (Chinese): “On the morning of December 30, ground forces of the Eastern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army conducted long-range live-fire exercises targeted at relevant waters north of the Taiwan Island, achieving full accuracy in all strikes."

8. MILITARY VEHICLE ARRIVING AT LAUNCH SITE

9. ROCKET LAUNCHER PREPARING TO FIRE

10. SOLDIERS IN COMMAND CENTRE DIRECTING LAUNCH THROUGH TELEPHONE SYSTEM

11. VARIOUS OF ROCKETS FIRED FROM LAUNCHER FOLLOWED BY SMOKE BILLOWING IN AIR

12. ROCKETS FIRED UP TO SKY, EXHAUST TRAILS

AT SEA (RELEASED DECEMBER 30, 2025) (PLA EASTERN THEATER COMMAND – Must on-screen courtesy 'PLA Eastern Theater Command' / No resale / No archive / Must not obscure logo) (MUTE)

13. FIRE-CONTROL SIGHT OF ROCKETS LANDING IN WATER AREAS