17th May: Amidst growing tensions over Taiwan and the South China Sea, China has released videos of military exercises that seem to depict a Chinese invasion of Taiwan. The drills included the Type 075, a 40,000-tonne amphibious warship capable of transporting up to 30 helicopters and nearly 1,000 personnel.
It was unclear where or when the drill took place. The videos were released in response to joint military exercises conducted by the United States, Japan, Australia, and France. According to Chinese military expert Song Zhongping, the PLA is focusing its combat training on preparing for a potential war over Taiwan.
Where or when the drill was carried out was not obvious. The videos were released in response to joint US, Japanese, Australian, and French military exercises. The PLA aimed its fighting training to prepare for a potential war in Taiwan, military expert Song Zhongping said.
“Anybody on the island of Taiwan and in other countries for some time believes the Chinese mainland has not the means of organizing a massive, joint amphibious Landing Operation on the island due to the high difficulty of this kind of Task.” A military official from the Chinese government told the. “Exercises such as this and regular routine warplanes near the island could act as a dissuasive and offer the secession and foreign powers a direct insight into the real situation, where the PLA is determined to ensure the sovereignty and dignity of China,” added the official.
He cautioned that, if secessionists persist in provoking Peking, China could “take several more amphibious landing tactics, including the participation of missiles, artillery and aviation forces.” Beijing has been stepped up its gray-zone tactic since mid-September last year with the routine transmission of planes into the Taiwanese ADIZ, most of which are in the southwest corner of the region and consist typically of one and three aircraft with slow flight turboprop.
In recent months, Chinese warplanes in the ADIZ region of Taiwan have registered almost regular incursions. The Chinese warcraft raid into Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADZ) last month was described as “unnecessary” and “thoughtless” by Taiwan’s premier Su Tsenj-chang.
In spite of its seven-decade rule of the two sides, Beijing asserts absolute control over Taiwan, democrats of almost 24 million citizens on the Southeast side of mainland China. By increasing its strategic connection with democracies, including the USA, Taipei, on the other hand, has countered China’s aggression. “The independence of Taiwan” China has threatened to mean war.
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