The US Office of Naval Intelligence has released a new report on the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) saying that its “central priority” is to force the “unification” of Taiwan and China.
Given the pace of Chinese military modernization, the gap in military capability between Beijing and Taipei will continue to widen in China’s favor over the coming years, the report said.
Titled The PLA Navy: New Capabilities and Missions for the 21st Century, the report is the first of its kind issued by US Naval Intelligence in six years.
Photo: Reuters
“In addition to improving the traditional destroyer and frigate backbone of its fleet, the PLAN is on the verge of incorporating very different platforms that will greatly influence the operations of its future fleet,” the report found.
Nuclear-armed Jin-class submarines are poised to begin strategic patrols in the near future, putting Chinese intercontinental ballistic missiles to sea for the first time, it said.
“Against this backdrop of increasing military capability, China’s leaders appear increasingly willing to assert China’s maritime claims, even when such actions risk exacerbating tension with China’s neighbors,” the report said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) continues to emphasize the importance of maritime power to enable China’s development, it added.
“Taiwan ‘reunification’ remains the main driver for military modernization,” it said.
According to the report, China views unification with Taiwan as an “immutable long-term goal and hopes to prevent any third party from intervening in what China asserts is an internal matter.”
China’s leaders have long emphasized their preference for peaceful unification, but also say that China is not prepared to wait indefinitely for a political resolution, the report said.
“For several decades, China’s naval investments have focused heavily on capabilities to deter Taiwan’s moves toward independence, to successfully reverse Taiwan’s actions should deterrence fail and — if necessary — to force ‘unification,’ even if the United States were to become militarily involved,” it said.
To achieve unification, the report says that China has built or acquired a wide array of advanced platforms, including submarines, major surface vessels, missile patrol craft, maritime strike aircraft and land-based systems employing new anti-ship cruise missiles and surface-to-air missiles.
China has also developed the world’s first anti-ship ballistic missile, specifically designed to attack enemy aircraft carriers.
“Chinese leaders hope that simply possessing these military capabilities will deter pro-independence moves or — should deterrence fail — permit a range of military options that can be tailored to the specific situation,” the report said.
It concludes that in contrast to its narrow focus of just a decade ago, the PLAN is evolving to meet a wide range of missions, including conflict with Taiwan, enforcement of maritime claims, protection of economic interests as well as counterpiracy and humanitarian missions.
“In the next decade, China will complete its transition from a coastal navy to a navy capable of multiple missions around the world,” the report said.
Although being prepared to “forcibly reunify [sic] Taiwan with the mainland” will remain a “driving force” behind China’s naval modernization, the report says the PLAN is simultaneously focusing resources on a growing array of other challenges.
It says: “Friction between China and its neighbors appears increasingly likely as Beijing seeks to deter rival activities and assert its own claimed rights and interests.”
SECURITY: As China is ‘reshaping’ Hong Kong’s population, Taiwan must raise the eligibility threshold for applications from Hong Kongers, Chiu Chui-cheng said When Hong Kong and Macau citizens apply for residency in Taiwan, it would be under a new category that includes a “national security observation period,” Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. President William Lai (賴清德) on March 13 announced 17 strategies to counter China’s aggression toward Taiwan, including incorporating national security considerations into the review process for residency applications from Hong Kong and Macau citizens. The situation in Hong Kong is constantly changing, Chiu said to media yesterday on the sidelines of the Taipei Technology Run hosted by the Taipei Neihu Technology Park Development Association. With
CARROT AND STICK: While unrelenting in its military threats, China attracted nearly 40,000 Taiwanese to over 400 business events last year Nearly 40,000 Taiwanese last year joined industry events in China, such as conferences and trade fairs, supported by the Chinese government, a study showed yesterday, as Beijing ramps up a charm offensive toward Taipei alongside military pressure. China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view. Taiwanese security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing’s influence campaigns to sway public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of
Pope Francis is be laid to rest on Saturday after lying in state for three days in St Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met yesterday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College
TRADE: A mandatory declaration of origin for manufactured goods bound for the US is to take effect on May 7 to block China from exploiting Taiwan’s trade channels All products manufactured in Taiwan and exported to the US must include a signed declaration of origin starting on May 7, the Bureau of Foreign Trade announced yesterday. US President Donald Trump on April 2 imposed a 32 percent tariff on imports from Taiwan, but one week later announced a 90-day pause on its implementation. However, a universal 10 percent tariff was immediately applied to most imports from around the world. On April 12, the Trump administration further exempted computers, smartphones and semiconductors from the new tariffs. In response, President William Lai’s (賴清德) administration has introduced a series of countermeasures to support affected
RSS