Why is China holding military drills encircling Taiwan now?

By Emily Feng,

Scott Detrow

Published December 30, 2025 at 4:08 PM EST

China wrapped a new round of live-fire military drills that encircled Taiwan, in a warning to what Beijing calls separatists across the Taiwan strait.

Emily Feng

Emily Feng is NPR's Beijing correspondent.

See stories by Emily Feng

Scott Detrow

Scott Detrow is a White House correspondent for NPR and co-hosts the NPR Politics Podcast.

See stories by Scott Detrow

Support nonprofit, fact-based public service journalism

WEKU depends on support from those who view and listen to our content. There's no paywall here. Please support WEKU with your donation.

Contribute now

Related Content

Judge considers whether to detain or release D.C. pipe bomb suspect

Ryan Lucas, Scott Detrow

The suspect in the attempted pipe bombing of political headquarters in 2021 appeared in court today for a pre-trial detention hearing.
Pine needles help researchers track how forever chemicals get into the environment

Kirsti Marohn

Volunteers in Minnesota are collecting pine needles to help researchers determine how PFAS -- the substances commonly called forever chemicals -- find their way into water, soil and air.
It was a rough year for nightclubs

Neda Ulaby

A number of promenant nightclubs and music venues closed across the country in 2025, part of an ongoing trend driven by high rents, decreasing alcohol consumption and monopolization.
Promoting a movie in 2025 is a performance in itself

Scott Detrow, Mia Venkat, Patrick Jarenwattananon

NPR's Scott Detrow speaks with Nicholas Quah of Vulture about the evolution of celebrity publicity as the "new media circuit" commands more attention.
What to know about a power struggle among U.S. allies in the Red Sea

Aya Batrawy, Mary Louise Kelly

Israel became the first country in the world to recognize Somaliland, part of a wider Red Sea rivalry also playing out in Yemen