China says PLA Rocket Force joined Shandong carrier group in drills near US base in western Pacific
- Disclosure seen as show of force by Chinese military, highlighting improved precision strike capacity as Taiwan Strait tensions spike
- CCTV report suggests fighter jets could be ‘eyes in the sky’ to help the rocket force strike targets thousands of kilometres away, analyst says
This came as Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported that the Shandong flotilla had wrapped up a nearly 30-day exercise in the western Pacific region that included unprecedented systematic joint operations with the rocket force and other fighting wings.
The exercise, which took place about 400 nautical miles (741km) northwest of Guam last month, involved the Shandong aircraft carrier, a Type 055 destroyer, two Type 052D destroyers, two Type 054A frigates and a Type 901 replenishment ship, according to Japan’s Self-Defence Force.
While it is not uncommon for the Chinese navy to carry out drills near Guam, some analysts said disclosing that the rocket force took part indicated a deterrence strategy by the Chinese military. They said it highlighted the PLA’s enhanced capacity for precision hits on moving surface targets or naval bases beyond the so-called first island chain of defence.
The chain, which usually refers to the archipelagos running through Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines, is considered by some military strategists to be a formidable barrier for the PLA in exiting or entering the western Pacific.
According to Zhou Chenming, a researcher from the Yuan Wang military science and technology think tank in Beijing, the exercise aimed to test the precision strike capability of China’s Dongfeng series anti-ship ballistic missiles in the high seas.
