By Wang Yitao and Gao Rui

“The exercises and training demonstrate the PLA’s high combat spirit and robust fighting capacity, as well as its determination, approach and capacity to safeguard national unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity,” said a military expert about the PLA Eastern Theater Command’s largest-scale ever live-fire joint exercises and training around the Taiwan island.

PLA’s capacity to fight and win greatly enhanced

Major General Meng Xiangqing, professor at the PLA National Defense University said this round of realistic joint exercises and training has shown that the PLA’s capacity to fight and win has been greatly enhanced.

First, it proved that the PLA’s combined combat capacity with the support of an integrated military system has been significantly improved. The multi-service, multi-regional operations tested the Command’s real combat capacities supported by an integrated system, including joint perception, joint command and control, joint assault, and joint support, all of which demonstrated the latest achievements in the national defense and military reform. “This was the first time that the PLA carried out the joint sea and air exercises around the entire Taiwan Island. It was against a highly realistic scenario and fully reflected the massive improvement of the PLA troops’ joint combat capacity with integrated support,” said Meng.

Second, it proved the PLA’s capability of long-distance denial has been significantly improved. This was the first time that a shooting range was set on the eastern side of the Taiwan Island.

Third, it proved the PLA’s precise attack capacity has been greatly enhanced. On August 4, several new-type long-range rocket launchers attached to the Army under the Eastern Theater Command carried out precision strikes on specific areas in the eastern Taiwan Strait. The Rocket Force troops under the Eastern Theater Command also launched various types of conventional missiles at multiple spots in the designated open waters off the eastern Taiwan Island.

According to Meng, the PLA forces were able to hit the targets precisely across airspace where Patriot missiles were densely deployed and under the watch of the US Aegis ship during their first cross-island live-fire shooting showed that they are now able to see clearly and hit precisely in the far sea. “We have a strong conventional missile penetration capacity – we are not worried about the other side’s interception because they cannot intercept or stop our missiles.”

Fourth, it proved the PLA’s capacity for multi-dimensional operations on the sea and for coordination and cooperation among theater commands has been largely tempered. The first deterrent exercises with an aircraft carrier task force have presented a multi-dimensional maritime combat system.

Troops participating in the latest exercises are mainly from the Eastern Theater Command, but troops from other theater commands also took part, indicating much better coordination and cooperation among different theater commands.

PLA troops demonstrating a high spirit and morale

Senior Captain Zhang Junshe, a researcher at the PLA Naval Research Academy, said the exercises and training demonstrated the PLA’s will and style of combat, and showcased that all troops have a strong determination, firm will, and robust capacity to safeguard peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the region, and to smash all separatist attempts.

Some expert said the exercises and training are carried out in six areas around the Taiwan Island, featuring wide coverage, close proximity to the island, great intensity, and full elements. Such a besiegement of the island is paving the way for forming a strategic situation conducive to the final reunification.

At present, the one-China principle is a universal consensus in the international community, and upholding this principle is a basic norm in international relations. China’s reunification is an unstoppable trend, and the Taiwan question is sure to be resolved with the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Zhang said China’s basic principles of “peaceful reunification” and “One Country, Two Systems” remain unchanged. The Chinese mainland will make utmost efforts as long as there is one ray of hope for peaceful reunification.

The 1.4 billion Chinese people and the PLA will not tolerate any delusion by the “Taiwan independence” separatist forces and external interference. “If the ‘Taiwan independence’ forces dare to take a step, if external forces dare to escalate their provocations, they will meet with stronger countermeasures from us,” said Maj. Gen. Meng Xiangqing, adding that any mistaken act against the historical trend to play the “Taiwan card” and endanger China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is doomed to fail.