In a recent CCTV military special, a footage of PRC military exercise in Inner Mongolia was shown, which included PLA soldiers storming a building bearing striking resemblance to Taiwan’s presidential palace.
It isn’t the first time the PRC military has conducted this exercise at this building, but it is certainly the first time that they allowed such footage to be shown on CCP official media such as CCTV.
Some media also pointed out they have a exact replica of Taichung’s Ching Chuan Kang airbase in Inner Mongolia, where the PLA would conduct routine drills.
PRC DoD spokesman came out and said the resemblance is only a coincidence, and Taiwan’s presidential palace isn’t the exercise’s intended target. He also said that Taiwan’s media is flattering themselves. Although it seems to me it’s some kind of a warning message, which the PLA always seem to pull before a Taiwan election, and as usually their poor grasp of democracy backfires on them.
Considering that most important political buildings in Taiwan are huddled so close together than even a shot in the dark will hit something vital, well, this kind of practice is overkill. Seems to me that as usual it is more designed with the inner market -Chinese people- in mind. “Look, we are doing something about Taiwan, we will not let this status quo BS go on indefinetively, look, we are preparing to strike and incite terror and awe in their hearts”. That message is for consumption inside China.
Here, the gummit knows that if the PLA even reaches for a rifle, the local army will roll over and play dead “to prevent bloodshed between brothers, and anyways, it is inevitable. Resistance is futile”.
As to them PLA storming the Presidential Palace, His Handsomeness already expressed his displeasure. Moreover, the structure is highly debilitated. It is a hundred year old building that was bombed by the Americans and repaired in haste. First paratrooper that lands on the roof will go through like a fat cat over a banana leaf. Heck, we can’t even keep a bunch of unarmed students out!
Oh, and they are missing the barbed wire which has gone all the way as permanent decoration just like the Christmas ornaments from 5 years past. All spruced up with yellow police line ribbons.
Has the PLA not been doing this for close to 70 years at this point? This is 100% for internal consumption as Icon pointed out. Ultimately counterproductive given it just hurts Beijing’s allies here.
As I watched the preparations for an impending student takeover, I was reminded of this thread. Seriously, the walls shake if you hit them, whole tanks and stuff attack is close to impossible given how huddled buildings are. Getting in to hit some strategic, neuralgic score? Only if they were looking for some gongwen implicating officials in corruption and even so, quite hard.
I can see paratroopers hanging from the Mtsukoshi now. Even during 10/10 celebrations, paratroopers have a hard time landing at the plaza in front of the Presidential palace. Takes very good wind conditions not to en up plastered in Ximenting. And don’t get me started on that attack on MOFA…
