On Sunday, October 13, the Chinese military published a propaganda video on its social media accounts, showcasing various military drills accompanied by the caption: “Prepared for battle.”
The video, released by the Eastern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army, which oversees the area including Taiwan, featured aircraft and naval vessels operating together, mobile missile launchers, and amphibious assault vehicles, along with a small map of Taiwan.
This development comes after Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense announced on the same day that a Chinese naval group led by the aircraft carrier “Liaoning” had entered waters near the Bashi Channel, which connects the South China Sea to the Pacific Ocean and separates Taiwan from the Philippines.
The Chinese Ministry of Defense has not yet responded to requests for comment, nor has the Office of Taiwan Affairs in China.
China, which views the democratically governed Taiwan as part of its territory, opposes President Lai Ching-te. The Chinese military routinely conducts operations around the island, and Beijing has not ruled out the use of force to gain control over Taiwan.
In a speech last week, President Lai Ching-te stated that the People’s Republic of China had no right to represent Taiwan but added that the island was willing to work with Beijing to address challenges such as climate change. His speech carried both a strong and conciliatory tone, yet it provoked anger in China.
