China Simulates Missile Strikes on Taiwan

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China has modeled missile strikes on Taiwan, according to the Global Times, citing Chinese state television. This occurred on the second day of exercises conducted by Chinese troops near Taiwan.

As noted by the newspaper, on the first day of the exercises, which began near Taiwan on April 8, Taiwan's military recorded the approach of 71 Chinese military aircraft to the island, implementing control over the sea, air, and information in the event of a potential conflict.

The next day, April 9, the PLA simulated missile strikes on ground targets. According to Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense, 70 aircraft and 11 Chinese naval vessels were observed near the island in the late afternoon.

An animated video released by the Chinese military on WeChat shows that the People's Republic of China is using missile launchers deployed both on land and at sea to strike targets in Taiwan from multiple directions.

Zhang Xiaozhong, a researcher at the Academy of Military Sciences of China, noted that the “main targets” include the island's military facilities; specifically, these may involve key positions of troops, airports, as well as critical nodes of the military system.

China does not recognize Taiwan's independence and considers it part of its territory. Chinese President Xi Jinping has also not ruled out the possibility of returning the island under control by force. On April 8, Beijing announced the conduct of three days of military exercises near Taiwan in response to Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen's recent visit to the United States.

U.S. House Committee Chairman Michael McCaul commented on the exercises, stating that the U.S. Congress would likely support sending American forces to Taiwan “if China invades.”