Unprecedented surge in Chinese warships presence surrounding Taiwan.
According to information published by Global Times on July 17, 2023, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) recently ramped up warship activities around the island of Taiwan, breaking the record for the number of vessels deployed in its drills in the region.
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Amphibious armored vehicles, affiliated with a brigade from the PLA Navy's Marine Corps, navigate towards the beachhead as part of a sea-based offensive and defensive training drill. (Picture source: Chinamil)
A historic surge in the presence of warships from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China has been observed around the Taiwanese island, pushing the number of deployed vessels to unprecedented levels during their recent maneuvers.
Experts posited that the heightened series of military drills exhibited PLA's strategic capability to surround the island, with potential focus on training for amphibious landings.
Taiwan's defense authority disclosed in a press statement that on the previous day, 15 PLA aircraft and an unmatched 16 PLA vessels were registered conducting operations in Taiwanese waters.
Local media highlighted the significance of this count, marking it as the highest in recent memory for PLA naval activities in the region.
This record-breaking event followed a week of escalated drills and patrols by the PLA in the surrounding waters of Taiwan. The island's media reported that the Chinese military dispatched nine vessels daily, each accompanied by a large air force including fighters, bombers, special mission aircraft, and drones.
In contrast, the PLA usually deploys an average of approximately four vessels daily. Even during significant military exercises held in August of the previous year and April of the present year, the maximum number of vessels didn't exceed 14, as per the official statements from Taiwan's defense authority.
The surge in PLA naval activities comes at a time of several significant international events, such as the US House's approval of the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, the publication of the NATO summit statement, and the joint military exercises involving the US, the UK, Australia, and Japan.
Observers from the island's media, citing a military expert, believe that this show of naval might is likely a demonstration of the PLA's blockade capabilities and could involve forces from both the Eastern and Southern Theater Commands.
Taiwan's defense authority refrained from providing details regarding the type of PLA vessels involved in the operations. However, Japan's Defense Ministry reported in late June that it had observed a PLA flotilla, including the Type 075 amphibious assault ship Guangxi, the Type 052D destroyer Baotou, the Type 054A frigate Anyang, and the Type 903A comprehensive replenishment ship Chaohu transitioning from the East China Sea to the West Pacific.
Given the absence of any reports indicating the return of these warships, it is conceivable that the amphibious group led by the Type 075 may participate in exercises east of Taiwan, suggested Song Zhongping, a military expert from mainland China.
Another anonymous expert from mainland China explained that it would be a logical sequence to engage in amphibious landing exercises after establishing air superiority and sea control. Therefore, the move to conduct amphibious landing drills after training for precision strikes, air combat, and sea combat aligns with this reasoning.
