Increased military drills suggest mainland China is preparing to strike against Taiwan, experts say
PLA releases footage of bomber, fighter jets flying close to self-ruled island, as Taipei says it spotted mainland ‘transport’ planes overhead
The recent increase in military exercises focused on Taiwan suggests mainland China is gearing up to take over the self-ruled island by force, a military expert said on Monday.
On Sunday, the People’s Liberation Army released a video of an H-6K bomber accompanied by two Su-30 fighter jets conducting “encirclement” patrols close to the island. The film’s publication came less than a week after the mainland’s air force released footage of a team of warplanes conducting similar exercises near to Taiwan.
“The recent ‘island encirclement’ patrols are very unusual,” Macau-based military observer Antony Wong Dong said. “The air force is conducting very practical and well-planned patrols near Taiwan to collect up-to-date military intelligence.”
While naval and air patrols in the region are nothing new, in the past they were mostly symbolic, Wang said.
“But now, the mainland is deploying old and new generations of surveillance planes, fighter jets and other aircraft … indicating the PLA is stepping up its preparations for war against Taiwan.”
