The military on Wednesday held a landing exercise at Cisingtan (七星潭) in Hualien County, listing the beach as a potential landing site for an amphibious operation for the first time since 1989.
Cisingtan has been named as one of nearly 20 “red beaches,” or potential landing sites for the Chinese military.
The Ministry of National Defense has added about a dozen more potentially vulnerable coastal sites to the list since May.
Photo: Yu Tai-lang, Taipei Times
The beach in Sincheng Township (新城) near Taroko Gorge was added again after 34 years, likely as it is near Chiashan Air Base (佳山基地), a source said on condition of anonymity.
Cisingtan is considered a difficult landing site due to its terrain, requiring study to identify potential landing paths and defense strategies, they said.
At about 5am on Wednesday, a marine corp advance force was spotted off Cisingtan, along with a navy meteorological vessel deployed to study sea and weather conditions.
Photo: Yu Tai-lang, Taipei Times
Boundary markers were set up along the beach to guide three Assault Amphibious Vehicles (AAV-7) and 36 combat assault vehicles landing from a Chung Ho-class tank landing ship in three waves starting from 8am.
Before the exercise, four speedboats keeping guard drove away three fishing vessels that approached the restricted area.
The vehicles returned to the tank landing ship at the end of the 45-minute drill.
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