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| Chinese Navy Warships (File Photo) |
By Franz-Stefan Gady
Recent Chinese military maneuvers in the Bashi Channel had only one purpose.
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has recently been practicing the invasion of Taiwan with a number of joint air-sea military exercises in and around the Bashi Channel, in close proximity to Taiwanese territory.
As I reported last week (see: “China Holds Naval Drills Near Taiwan and Philippines”), the most recent exercise involved the simulation of real combat conditions in the waters east of the Bashi Channel, including long-range precision strikes and aerial combat.
According to IHS Jane’s Defense Weekly, the Chinese naval task force consisted of a Type 052B destroyer, a Type 054A frigate — side note: two ships of this class also recently participated in a joint Sino-Russian maritime exercise – and a Type 904 general stores issue ship.
The People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) deployed a number of H-6G/K strategic bombers and J-11B air superiority fighter jets. The H-6K can carry six KD-20 land attack cruise missiles as well as “a wide range of new precision-guided munitions available from four Chinese weapon manufacturers,” IHS Jane’s Defense Weekly states.
Read the full story at The Diplomat