China’s authoritarian expansionism threatens not only Taiwan, but the rules-based international order, the navy said yesterday, after its top commander said in an interview that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) could blockade the nation at will.
The object of Beijing’s expansionist activities is not limited to Taiwan and its use of pressure is not confined to specific political groups or people, the navy said in a statement.
China utilizes a mixture of cognitive warfare and “gray zone” military activities to pressure Taiwan, the navy said, adding that PLA sea and air forces are compressing the nation’s defensive depth.
Photo courtesy of the Military News Agency
The navy continues to counter Chinese actions by using its forces flexibly and integrating reconnaissance assets to ensure constant surveillance and quick reactions, it said.
The military closely watches the development of new tactics by the Chinese and takes prompt countermeasures to defend the nation’s sovereign waters, it said.
Navy Commander Admiral Tang Hua (唐華) on Thursday said in an interview with The Economist that the PLA is enacting an “anaconda strategy” to subdue Taiwan and that the nation’s armed forces are being stretched thin.
The Chinese military is “slowly, but surely” increasing its presence around Taiwan proper, he was quoted by the magazine as saying.
“They are ready to blockade Taiwan at any time they want,” he said.
PLA air incursions across the Taiwan Strait’s median line surged five times from 36 in January to 193 last month, and Chinese ships operating near Taiwanese waters have doubled from 142 to 282 during the same period, he said.
Chinese ships have moved closer to Taiwan and sail along the nation’s contiguous zone, or 24 nautical miles (44km) from shore, patrolling for days at a time, Tang said.
Citing Taiwanese analysts Ma Cheng-kun (馬振坤) and Tristan Tan, The Economist said the Taiwanese navy is deploying 25 percent to 50 percent of its combat strength to match PLA patrols.
“They give you extreme pressure, pressure, pressure. They’re trying to exhaust you,” Tang said, adding that a government audit found that more than half of Taiwanese principal combatants have fallen behind schedule on maintenance.
Most Taiwanese are unaware of PLA patrols’ proximity and regularity, as government updates on Chinese military activities do not identify warship types, their designation or the duration of their presence, Tang said.
The government could be worried that disclosure could harm Taiwanese morale or the economy, he was paraphrased as saying.
The navy is focused on avoiding confrontation as the PLA inches closer to the nation, because Beijing’s goal is to “force Taiwan to make mistakes,” Tang said, adding that mishaps could serve as “excuses” for launching a blockade.
The military this year issued new rules of engagement that legally and morally define the justifiable use of force, he said.
“We restrain our guys not to provoke or escalate,” he added.
The PLA has 10 times as many destroyers as Taiwan and twice as many frigates, The Economist said.
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
A US Marine Corps regiment equipped with Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) is set to participate in the upcoming Balikatan 25 exercise in the Luzon Strait, marking the system’s first-ever deployment in the Philippines. US and Philippine officials have separately confirmed that the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) — the mobile launch platform for the Naval Strike Missile — would take part in the joint exercise. The missiles are being deployed to “a strategic first island chain chokepoint” in the waters between Taiwan proper and the Philippines, US-based Naval News reported. “The Luzon Strait and Bashi Channel represent a critical access
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
RSS