China has built up the capability to launch a surprise attack on Taiwan through air and ground operations, the Financial Times reported, citing Taiwanese and U.S. officials.
According to one Taiwanese military official, China’s air force and missile units have improved to the point where they can “switch from peacetime to military operations at any time.”
Other Taiwanese defence ministry officials say Chinese People’s Liberation Army operations include the continuous training of paratroopers near ports of embarkation for a possible invasion of Taiwan, the constant readiness of army aviation units that can attack from the air, and the deployment of the PCH-191 multiple rocket launcher system with a range of 300 kilometres that can hit any target on the island.
Taiwan’s defence ministry reports that Chinese warplanes enter the air defence identification more than 245 times a month. Five years ago, there were fewer than 10 such incidents per month.
“This is a clear demonstration of the escalation and constant airspace pressure that is being exerted against Taiwan,” a Pentagon interlocutor told the FT. About 10 Chinese ships are constantly in the vicinity of Taiwan, he said. Given the close proximity of the ports, this means Beijing could “move to blockade within hours”.
A Taiwan defence ministry spokesman said the presence of the warships meant China could launch an air attack without warning.
US intelligence claims that Chinese President Xi Jinping instructed the army back in 2019 to build the capability to invade Taiwan by 2027.
In early April, China’s People’s Liberation Army held the Thunder Over the Strait 2025a exercise. Troops practiced manoeuvres during which the Chinese military “approaches” Taiwan from “several directions” and practiced manoeuvres including “attacking sea and land targets” and “blockading key areas and sea lanes”. The exercise differed from previous ones in the scale and supreme coordination of various Chinese forces to isolate Taiwan.
China considers Taiwan its territory. Chinese authorities have repeatedly said they are ready to take control of the island by force. Bloomberg estimates in 2024 that if China attacked Taiwan, the war would cost 10 per cent of global GDP and would also result in a direct military confrontation between the PRC and the US.