China puts tanks to the test in a mock street battle for Taiwan
- CCTV footage highlights the PLA’s understanding that urban combat would be inevitable after landing on the island
- But Taiwan’s own military has the advantage of being most familiar with the island’s complex geography, says military observer
In a documentary aired by CCTV last week, Type 96A main battle tanks and Type 04 infantry fighting vehicles were shown engaged in a mock combat exercise.
The weapons were designed to fight in the complex terrain of Taiwan’s cities and counties, highlighting the PLA’s belief that a street battle would be inevitable once troops landed on the self-ruled island.
Beijing regards Taiwan as a breakaway province that must eventually be reunited with the mainland – by force if necessary. This remains a key goal for the PLA and was the focus of the drill.
The exercise involved a combat brigade from the PLA’s 72nd Group Army based in Huzhou, Zhejiang province, and overseen by the Eastern Theatre Command.
According to the report, 230 troops equipped with 30 tanks formed a red team to represent the PLA trying to attack a city complex defended by a blue team of 70 soldiers and six tanks.
With cover from the tanks and amphibious vehicles, the red army seized the city in just under three hours after removing landmines, roadblocks and other obstacles posed by the drill’s blue army, the report said.
The exercise is a typical drill simulating conflict between the PLA and its Taiwanese counterpart, with the mock Taiwanese team appearing to take the geographical advantage only to be hampered by weak firepower and troops.
