China Stages 'Invasion' as Warning to Taiwan

[Fly Navy]

China stages 'invasion' as warning to Taiwan

By Matt Kovac in P'eng-hu Islands, Taiwan
(Filed: 25/07/2004)

The most aggressive practice run to be staged by China for an invasion of Taiwan is terrifying the inhabitants of a tiny archipelago in the South China Sea.

The P'eng-hu Islands, which lie in crystal clear waters between Taiwan and mainland China, have been identified by Beijing as the first stepping-stone for an all-out assault on Taiwan, which governs the islands.

Such war games are an annual event, but this year's exercise has a chilling intent. China's Communist mouthpiece, the People's Daily newspaper, declared: "This year's military exercise is a substantial warning to Taiwan's independence elements" - a reference to Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian, who plans constitutional changes to which China objects.

In the event of an invasion, the People's Daily added, "the PLA would immediately take the P'eng-hu Islands, forming an outpost position to control Taiwan island".

In the fishing port of Magong, the islands' capital, Chao Lee-mai gripped her nine-year-old son's hand tightly as she gazed out to sea and considered the effect of a Chinese invasion. "Devastation. There wouldn't be anything left but dust," she said.

Mrs Chao, 38, added: "I love this island, it's my home, but I'm planning to leave as I have no doubt that P'eng-hu will be attacked. I have no choice but to think of the safety of my family."

Lai Feng-wai, the 51-year-old governor of P'eng-hu, said: "We want peace. War will mean total destruction of P'eng-hu and its people. We live on an isolated island and I have been told that we may only be able to defend ourselves for 24 hours," he said.

Even that may be an overstatement: the chain of 64 low-lying islands, 37 miles long by 14 miles wide, has a population of just 90,000, most of whom live in fishing villages which dot the coastline. They are guarded by 10,000 Taiwanese troops, but they would offer little opposition to a missile attack and ground invasion by the 2.5 million-strong PLA.

Since nationalist forces under General Chiang Kai-shek first fled to Taiwan after losing a bloody civil war with Mao's Communists in 1945, successive Chinese leaders have threatened to reunite Taiwan and its outlying islands with the mainland by military force.

According to Chinese state media, the "offensive" drills involve the PLA's most advanced weaponry, including Sukhoi Su-27 fighter jets bought from Russia. Tensions have been heightened by Taiwan's parliament considering a bill to authorise the purchase of £11 billion of American military hardware, including offensive weapons that could strike inland China.

As a countermeasure to China's military exercises, Taiwan held its own defence drills last week.

Air force jets practised landing and refuelling on sealed-off motorways, in case the island's airfields are destroyed by a Chinese missile attack.

Philip Yang, a security and defence adviser to the government, said: "Beijing is truly worried about Chen's timetable for constitutional reform, which it views as a step towards formal independence. It wants to prove that the military is capable of attacking Taiwan. China is now ready and able."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/mai...in25.xml&sSheet=/news/2004/07/25/ixworld.html

 

[vegita1220]

Coincidentally, I remember hearing a few weeks ago that we plan to surge 7 CVBGs there for a Pacific exercise...anybody else hear about it?

 

[Fly Navy]

Coincidentally, I remember hearing a few weeks ago that we plan to surge 7 CVBGs there for a Pacific exercise...anybody else hear about it?

Don't remember if it was exclusively Pacific, but yeah, I remember reading about it.

Nice avatar, I have that pic on my computer.

 

[zab1001]

you sure that wasn't RIMPAC, the annual exercise held each summer? I know one of the CVBGs was given all kinds of kudos for 'surging' from alaska ops to rimpac, making the transit pretty quickly.

 

[Fly Navy]

you sure that wasn't RIMPAC, the annual exercise held each summer? I know one of the CVBGs was given all kinds of kudos for 'surging' from alaska ops to rimpac, making the transit pretty quickly.

Not sure, but I think it was seperate from RIMPAC. I think it was an exercise to see how fast we could surge a large force. Like I said though, I can't really remember.

 

[vegita1220]

Dug it up, it's called Summer Pulse 2004, so if it hasn't happened yet I guess it will soon.
Seven carrier groups to conduct joint operations with Taiwan.

Jeez, imagine 7 CVBGs in the same neck of the woods, ready to rock. Now THAT's tax dollars at work.

 

[FlyingDoc]

So, if Taiwan were to declare their independence, they would probably request 7 or so CVBGs to be in the area... would that deter mainland china?

 

[Banjo33]

So, if Taiwan were to declare their independence, they would probably request 7 or so CVBGs to be in the area... would that deter mainland china?

Probably not, but I sure as hell hope so. They know how thin we're spread right now. More reason for them to get their little invasion under way.

 

[El Cid]

Does anybody have the link that actually declares the US's intent on having 7 CVBG's. I mean that sounds a bit ridiculous. Deploying about half of our CV's a mean we only have three CV's and a dozen CVN's. I'm not doubting I would just like to read up on it.

 

[VetteMuscle427]

El Cid:

http://www.cffc.navy.mil/dodrelease.htm

7 carriers did deploy as part of Summer Pulse 04.

 

[Fly Navy]

Does anybody have the link that actually declares the US's intent on having 7 CVBG's. I mean that sounds a bit ridiculous. Deploying about half of our CV's a mean we only have three CV's and a dozen CVN's. I'm not doubting I would just like to read up on it.

I don't even know what the hell you're asking here lol. Re-word please?

 

[manny7_99]

Do you (Fly Navy and Vegita) have a cat fetish or something? I like the pics though. Where did you get them?

 

[Fly Navy]

Do you (Fly Navy and Vegita) have a cat fetish or something? I like the pics though. Where did you get them?

Mmm cat *Homer drool*...

My pic came from another forum I read. The guy who took it was drinking Margaritas during a football game... his drunken mind had an idea... with the help of a VERY patient cat, that's what happened lol.

 

[Slammer2]

Jeez, imagine 7 CVBGs in the same neck of the woods, ready to rock. Now THAT's tax dollars at work.

Does it sound normal to pay that much in operating costs for an excercise? I suppose the threat of being able to send 7 CVBGs in many different theaters does have an effect in addition to the excercise. Not complaining about the cost or anything, but I'm wondering how this cost compares to other war games and excercises in the past.

 

[zab1001]

They don't park 7 Battle Groups off Taiwan, the Pacific, specifically 7th Fleet, covers a vast area.