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What mainland China’s latest Taiwan drills tell us about its military capabilities
- Recent exercises show the PLA’s increasing ability to seal off the island or put pressure on its people and leadership, analysts say
- The use of carrier-based jets to approach Taiwan’s less protected southeastern coast was seen as one of the most significant aspects to the drill
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The People’s Liberation Army’s latest drills around Taiwan reflect the ways it has honed its ability to seal off the island or use gray zone tactics to put pressure on its leadership, military analysts have said.
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Although the drills did not involve real missiles – unlike a major exercise carried out last year – the rocket force confirmed that it had carried out simulated attacks against moving targets at sea, a possible test for targeting aircraft carriers.
During the three-day exercise , the Chinese military dispatched 232 warplanes and 32 naval vessels, including the H-6K strategic bomber and the Shandong aircraft carrier, according to Chinese media reports.
Besides military force, the Chinese government also dispatched Haixun 06, a law enforcement vessel, on patrol.
For the first time, four J-15 fighter jets, believed to have been launched from the Shandong, were seen off Taiwan’s less-fortified southeast coast.
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The Eastern Theatre Command also simulated precision missile attacks from land, sea, air and underwater, according to video footage released by the theatre command.
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