The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China carried out two days of large military exercises April 1-2 aimed at Taiwan’s secessionist and pro-independence forces, headed by the island’s leader William Lai Ching-te, but also carried an unmistakable message “of deterrence for American and Japanese forces stationed in the Ryukyu Islands including Okinawa,” the (South China Morning Post reported today. Labeled Strait Thunder-2025A, the drills included forces
from the army, navy, air force, coast guard and rocket forces, also including the Shandong aircraft carrier task group and multiple war ships, in the central and southern areas of the Taiwan Straits, Global Timesreported. The U.S., Japan, the European Union and other like-minded forces have taken notice.
The exercise, which included long range live-fire drills and hypersonic weapons, focused on closing in on the island from multiple directions and demonstrating a high level of combat readiness. The live-fire drills included “precision strikes on simulated targets of key ports and energy facilities,” and “achieved the desired results,” according to Col. Shi Yi, spokesman of the Eastern Theater Command. He reported that the goal was to test troops’ “capabilities of area regulation and control, joint blockade and control and precision strikes on key targets.” National Defense University Professor Zhang Chi told Global Times that “we are tightening the siege and chains on the Taiwan independence secessionist forces through stricter measures with thunderous actions.” The live-fire drills, he said, showed the military’s ability to “strike across the full breadth of Taiwan with precision and efficiency.”
Global Times’ strongly-worded editorial, entitled “PLA Drills `Subdue Demons and Vanquish Evils,’ Sent a Stern Warning to Lai Ching-te,” reports that a short video prepared as part of the drill showcases the PLA’s “overwhelming military strength and its decisive resolve to crush secessionist forces.” A separate animation shows the PLA’s “six key strike capabilities crossing the Straits to put an end to the separatist theatrics of Lai, a `parasite’ undermining Taiwan island.” Colonel Shi warned that the drills are a “legitimate and necessary action” to safeguard China’s sovereignty and national security.
