This week, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) conducted a series of unusual and high-profile activities across the Indo-Pacific region, signalling a show of force amid heightened regional tensions.
According to defence analysts, the PLAN deployed two aircraft carrier strike groups in the region. The Liaoning carrier group was reportedly dispatched on the 25th of last month, passing near Philippine territorial waters as it moved toward the location of the Shandong carrier group, which is currently operating within Japan’s exclusive economic zone.
In a separate manoeuvre, eight additional Chinese warships organized into two task groups and accompanied by an amphibious assault vessel were detected near Taiwan. Military observers interpret these movements as part of a broader exercise aimed at demonstrating China’s capability to breach the first island chain and potentially enforce a maritime blockade of Taiwan.
In a further sign of increased military preparedness, several Chinese Shuiqiao-class landing barges previously stationed at the Port of Longxue Island in Guangzhou have been redeployed to waters off the coast of Guangdong Province, bringing them significantly closer to Taiwan.
Many observers note that the coastal geography near Guangdong bears a striking resemblance to Taiwan’s shoreline. This similarity could make the area a useful location for practising amphibious assault landings in preparation for a potential cross-strait military operation.
The movement of these landing craft, combined with the broader deployment of naval assets across the Indo-Pacific, is seen by analysts as part of China’s ongoing efforts to enhance its ability to launch a maritime invasion or impose a blockade on Taiwan. The shift also underscores the growing emphasis the People’s Liberation Army Navy is placing on amphibious warfare capabilities in any future conflict scenario involving the island.