The Chinese People's Liberation Army is conducting a two -day military exercise against Taiwan.This is the second day when China conducts military exercises in the sea and air areas around Taiwan. The military exercise shows how the Chinese PLA will use ships and planes to surround Taiwan from all directions.
Mainland China has repeatedly stated that it is necessary to unify Taiwan. This exercise is how to seize this island's rehearsal.
China has established new normal in the Taiwan Strait, and continuously increases military pressure on this autonomous island.
What are the differences in these exercises?What did the exercise tell us?
Publicity and reality
It is difficult to say what happened in the end, but from the public information, the area covered by this exercise may be the biggest that we have seen at present, including most parts of the Taiwan Strait, a bus between Taiwan and the PhilippinesThe strait, as well as the large area of the Pacific Ocean on the east coast of Taiwan.
Chieh Chung, an associate researcher at the Taiwan National Policy Research Foundation, said on Thursday's exercises on Thursday to surround Taiwan and simulate a comprehensive attack, but no actual troops landed.He believes that all the offshore islands in Taiwan are included in the scope of exercise, indicating that China plans to eliminate facilities that may launch a counterattack against the PLA.
He also believes that the two -day exercise was named "Union Sword -20124A", showing that this year's military exercises have come one after another.
The clips announced by the Chinese People's Liberation Army show that the PLA is preparing to simulate the major cities and ports in Taiwan.A dramatic film released in the Eastern Theater of the PLA shows that multiple ship fleets approach Taiwan, emphasizing "entering, encirclement, lock", and then the entire Taiwan was marked as orange, which probably showed complete control.
China also released another film. A PLA colonel explained the purpose of the exercise in a political language: "We can see that we set up two exercise areas in the sea and air areas near the east of the island, mainly forBlocking 'Taiwan independence' splitists flee and break through their comfort zone. "
There is an important military infrastructure on the eastern coast of Taiwan, and near the southern Japan island is a reliable supply line for the Taiwanese allies including the United States.
However, the situation is relatively flat.First of all, China released a set of films that showed that the Fujian Maritime Police Ship was close to the three sea miles of Wuqiuyu Island controlled by Taiwan.This is a small rock reef outside the Fujian coast. There are only sea bird habitats and a small number of Taiwan garrison on the island.
On Thursday, the Taiwan Ministry of National Defense recorded 49 Chinese aircraft, 19 warships and 7 maritime police ships close to Taiwan's territorial sea.These ships are mainly frots and light frigates, with small size and less weapons.
There are no signs that there are heavy ships such as amphibious attack ships or aircraft carriers in China.The real invasion fleet requires greater ships and more personnel.
The last large -scale amphibious attack near Taiwan was the United States invaded Okinawa in 1944.At that time, the U.S. fleet had nearly 300 naval battleships, including 11 fleet aircraft carriers and hundreds of warships and supply ships.
I really don't like Lai Qingde
On Thursday's military exercises, it was targeted at Lai Qingde, Taiwan, and criticized Lai Qingde for a long discussion.
Global Times described him "stubborn" and "unscrupulous". CCTV commented that he "will be nailed to the column of the shame of history" and criticize him to promote the "theory of the two countries."
Lai Qingde was charged with the charges that in the inauguration of "China" on Monday, the official department said that such a word of words exposed Lai Qingde's true thoughts, that is, Taiwan is not China, but also two different countries.In their opinion, this is to acknowledge his "split" idea.
From the perspective of outsiders, even the former President Tsai Ing -wen carefully referred to China with euphemistic words such as "Strait" or "Beijing Authorities".
Some scholars in Taiwan said that such wording is very important, and Lai Qingde has passed the dangerous bottom line.Others said that his disgust has long been ingrained, and his speech only provided the reasons for rhetoric for the latest round of intimidation.
This is the new normal
No one in Taiwan was particularly surprised by military exercises. They thought it was easy to predict.When Lai Qingde won the president in early January this year, many people were already guessing how Chinese officials would respond.
Everyone expects that there will be action after Lai Qingde's first inauguration.Sure enough, only four days after Lai Qingde took office, the PLA conducted military exercises.
All this is random, because it has been prepared long ago.Any army, including the PLA, cannot mobilize such a large -scale exercise in just a few days.
It is also worth noting that so far, China has crossed the middle line of the Strait many times, which is an unofficial border line that extends about 50 nautical miles from the coastline of both sides.
However, the People's Liberation Army has never passed the connected area of about 24 nautical miles from the Taiwan coast, otherwise it will be regarded as a major upgrade of the situation.This also shows that although the words are very severe, they are still cautious.
On the streets of Taipei, people's reactions to military exercises are collectively shrugging.Many people tell you that they are not worried.
But this is not the case. It is like living on the side of the strait as it is living on the earthquake belt. The threat always exists, and the scale of the exercise is getting larger and more dangerous. You need to prepare.But you also need to continue to live.
