The Chinese military on Thursday released a video showing its army practicing invasion tactics with helicopters at a time when China is intensifying its military pressure on Taiwan.
Newsweek has reached out to the Chinese Defense Ministry for further comment by email. The Taiwanese military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Why It Matters
China has long viewed the self-ruled island of Taiwan, which is a United States security partner, as part of its territory despite the ruling Chinese Communist Party never having governed it. Beijing has stated clearly that it reserves all options, including the use of force, to prevent official Taiwanese independence.
Admiral Samuel Paparo, who is the U.S. military commander in the Indo-Pacific region, claimed in November last year that he witnessed the largest Chinese invasion rehearsal he had ever seen around Taiwan over the summer.
In May, October and December last year, the Chinese military conducted three large-scale exercises around Taiwan, which further escalated military tension across the Taiwan Strait.
What To Know
The Chinese military published a video on X, formerly Twitter, claiming an army aviation brigade recently mobilized its attack and transport helicopters for exercises, honing the pilots’ combat capabilities in “long-range projection” and “ultra-low altitude penetration.”
According to the video, the brigade is assigned to the 71st Group Army under the Eastern Theater Command. In its assessment report on Chinese military power, the Pentagon said the Eastern Theater Command likely would oversee any Taiwan invasion campaign.
The command, which also likely executes operational control over military matters related to Taiwan, conducted exercises and drills in 2023 that consisted of long-distance training and mobilization, aerial combat, as well as live-fire training, the Pentagon’s report added.
The footage did not specify the location and date of the exercises. The Eastern Theater Command’s jurisdiction covers several of China’s eastern provinces—Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, and Jiangxi—and Shanghai City, facing Taiwan and the East China Sea.
Meanwhile, Chinese attack helicopters assigned to the Eastern Theater Command’s 73rd Group Army took part in “ultra-low altitude defense penetration” training last month, according to photos released on the Chinese Defense Ministry’s website earlier this month.
What People Are Saying
Chines Defense Ministry spokesperson Senior Colonel Wu Qian said at a news conference on January 17: “Those seeking ‘Taiwan independence’ will never have a good end. The PLA [People’s Liberation Army] will spare no effort to fight separatism and promote national reunification.”
The Pentagon’s Chinese military power assessment report read: “The PLA has a range of options to coerce Taipei based on its increasing capabilities in multiple domains. For example, the PRC [People’s Republic of China] could signal its readiness to use force or conduct punitive actions against Taiwan.”
What Happens Next
China continues to deploy aircraft and vessels near Taiwan to keep up military pressure. It remains to be seen when China will conduct its first large-scale exercise around the island this year.
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