China Naval Power Display Near Rival Nation

Chinese Navy Deployment Near Taiwan Raises Concerns Over Potential Amphibious Invasion

Recently, a Chinese flotilla including ships designed to project power ashore has been spotted operating off the coasts of Taiwan’s south-east and southwest. The activity raises concerns over China‘s intentions toward the island.

Its Geopolitical Importance

People’s Republic of China claims Taiwan, even though it has never been ruled by the PRC. Beijing has maintained that it “reserves all options” – a stance that includes the potential use of force – against Taiwan, which maintains a security partnership with the United States. Reports claiming that China is actively preparing an amphibious assault on Taiwan have intensified these fears. Last year, the commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific force, Admiral Samuel Paparo referred to what he described the biggest invasion rehearsal that the Chinese military had conducted around Taiwan in his time.

Naval Deployment: Details

Satellite images from Tuesday showed a Chinese Naval Task Force positioned about 134 nautical Miles southeast of Taiwan. The flotilla consisted of:

• The two Type 052D modern multirole destroyers.
• The Type 075 is an amphibious assault vessel capable of landing both troops and vehicles.
• A Type 071 amphibian transport dock designed to deploy and carry troops.
• Supporting naval operations with a Type 903 replenishment ships.

The Taiwanese army reported, adding to tensions, that China had set up a zone for live-fire exercises approximately 40 nautical mile off Taiwan’s south coast. This was done without any prior notice. The zone is outside Taiwan’s 12 nautical-mile territorial water, but it demonstrates China’s aggressive military posture.

A map published by Taiwan’s military shows that seven Chinese warships are operating in the drill zone. CNS was one of them Siming Shan Taiwanese forces released video footage that confirmed the Type 071 amphibian warship (hull 986). This is the Siming ShanIn mid-February, six Chinese warships and a suspected laser-equipped ship had transited the East China Sea towards the Philippine Sea in the vicinity of Japan’s southwest islands.

Marco Rubio (U.S. Secretary Of State) reaffirmed Washington’s current commitments to stop the Chinese taking over Taiwan. China, Rubio said, is fully aware of Washington’s previous commitments.

The Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 mandates the U.S. providing Taiwan with defensive weapons, and resisting any attempt to solve cross-strait conflicts through non-peaceful methods.

The International Responses and Reactions

Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry released a press release that emphasized: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also calling for the international community, to be vigilant about the safety of the Taiwan Strait region and China’s unilateral and repeated actions which undermine regional stability.

U.S. secretary of state Marco Rubio U.S. policy on Taiwan was stated as follows: “We do not support any change to Taiwan’s legal status that would be forced, compelled or coerced.” This has been the U.S. position on Taiwan since late 1970s. It will not change.

The Future

It is uncertain whether or not the Chinese amphibian warship led flotilla, which will be navigating through the Taiwan Strait to circumnavigate Taiwan in the immediate future. A move like this would only escalate tensions further and strain relations between the two straits, affecting regional peace.