Taiwan Invasion Scenario?... China "Long-Range Live Ammunition Training Begins, Precision Strike Achievements" (Comprehensive)

PLA of China "Long-range artillery fire in specific area east of Taiwan Strait"
4th Taiwan Strait crisis possible depending on Taiwan-US response level
Bloomberg "Taiwan encirclement drills disrupt global supply chains"
Taiwan authorities "China expands duration and targets of encirclement drills"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Kang Hee-jong and Park Byung-hee] On the 4th, the Chinese People's Liberation Army crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and conducted long-range live-fire exercises in the eastern waters of the strait. Depending on the level of response from Taiwan and the United States to this exercise, tensions surrounding the Taiwan Strait are expected to escalate. Experts are concerned that a fourth Taiwan Strait crisis may arise, following the third crisis that occurred between 1995 and 1996.

According to Chinese media Pengpai, the Eastern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army, responsible for Taiwan, conducted long-range live-fire exercises in the Taiwan Strait around 1 p.m. local time on the same day. The Eastern Theater Command stated, "We carried out precision strikes in a specific area in the eastern Taiwan Strait and achieved the intended results."

The exact impact points have not been immediately confirmed. The artillery fire crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait is interpreted as an act demonstrating China's claim that Taiwan is Chinese territory. Taiwan is expected to consider this a provocation and strongly oppose it.

This live-fire exercise is part of the military drills China announced in response to U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan on the 2nd and 3rd.

China is also reportedly planning to expand the scope and duration of the military exercises. Taiwan's Ministry of Transportation claimed on the same day, "One additional military exercise zone has been added by the Chinese military, and the duration has been extended by one day." The Ministry's Maritime and Port Bureau stated, "China suddenly added the eastern Taiwan waters as a training zone at 9 a.m. today, increasing the number of zones to seven, and extended the training period until 10 a.m. on the 8th."

The Maritime and Port Bureau added, "The newly added training zone is located 70 nautical miles from Hualien Port in Taiwan and will not cause additional impact on aircraft operations. Ships can simply detour around the area."

Earlier, China's state-run news agency Xinhua announced on the 2nd, immediately after Speaker Pelosi's arrival in Taiwan, that the People's Liberation Army would conduct important military exercises and live-fire drills from 12 p.m. on the 4th (1 p.m. Korean time) to 12 p.m. on the 7th in six sea and air zones set up to encircle Taiwan. The Chinese government issued a notice banning the entry of ships and aircraft into these training zones during the exercise period.

Meanwhile, some experts suggest that this encirclement exercise around Taiwan could be an option China might use if it attempts forced unification by military means.

Retired Taiwanese Major General Shuai Huamin, in an interview with China's state-run Global Times on the 3rd, diagnosed that the six training zones set by the Chinese People's Liberation Army threaten Taiwan's major ports and key sea routes, indicating a strategy to completely blockade Taiwan. Shuai added, "This blockade pattern could become one of the operational options for future forced unification by military means."

China's encirclement exercises around Taiwan are also impacting the global supply chain.

Bloomberg reported on the same day that supply chain disruptions could worsen because ships have to detour around the People's Liberation Army's training zones. The Taiwan Strait between China and Taiwan is one of the busiest maritime logistics routes. Bloomberg noted that around noon the previous day, 45 ships were present in the Chinese military training zones, but by noon on the day the exercises began, the number of ships had decreased to 15.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.