We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.
Meanwhile a senior commander in China’s Ministry of National Defense has said Beijing will “resolutely defeat Taiwan independence forces” in response to the visit to the island of two US government officials in recent weeks. The lavish clip has been produced by PLA Rocket Force, a wing of China’s People’s Liberation Army.
Every day fully armoured and every moment ready to go, I am committed to the mission with my life
PLA song
In one scene, multiple rockets are shown being launched into the sky.
In another, large numbers of soldiers are shown being put through their paces.
The video accompanied by a song whose chorus, in Mandarin, warns: “If war breaks out, this would be my answer.”
Other lyrics include: “Every day fully armoured and every moment ready to go, I am committed to the mission with my life”.
The song concludes: “We will march to the battlefield without looking back, shoulder the duty and hope of the people, safeguard every inch of our land and everything on it, if one day the war broke out.”
The PLA’s decision to release the video is unlikely to be coincidental given China’s recent pronouncements about Taiwan, which it regards as within its own territory.
Beijing is furious at visits by US health supremo Alex Azar, and Keith Krach, US Undersecretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, and launched a series of military drills during which at least 19 Chinese jets encroached in Taiwan’s airspace.
JUST IN: Strip them of titles! Queen urged to punish Meghan Markle and Harry
Speaking today, Senior Colonel Tan Kefei, a spokesman for China’s Ministry of National Defense (MND), told reporters the exercises had been aimed at demonstrating the PLA’s determination to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
In a message aimed at Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen after she urged mainland restraint, Tan accused her Democratic Progressive Party government of “constantly instigating hostility and confrontation across the Taiwan Straits” and engaging in “pro-independence” provocations, which jeopardised peace.
He added: “Its attempt at ‘Taiwan independence’ is doomed to fail.
DON’T MISS
China sends dozens of bombers and jets into Taiwanese airspace [UPDATE]
China sparks fury sending NINETEEN fighter jets towards Taiwan [LATEST]
US responds after Chinese fighter jets sparks Taiwan panic [INSIGHT]
“The PLA will resolutely defeat the ‘Taiwan independence’ forces’ attempt to separate Taiwan from China in any name by any means, and safeguard national unity at all costs.”
Earlier this week, China’s state-run newspaper Global Times threw down the gauntlet in a combative op-ed in which it characterised the wargames as a “rehearsal for a takeover” of Taiwan – while warning the USA not to send US Secretary of State to visit the island.
The op-ed said: “Every time a high-ranking US official visits Taiwan, the fighter jets of the PLA should be one step closer to the island.”
Significantly, the editorial added: “If the US secretary of state or secretary of defense comes to Taiwan, the PLA should fly its aircraft over the island and conduct exercises above it.
“The missiles we test should also fly over Taiwan, even its ‘Presidential Office Building’.
“If Taiwan authorities continue to act aggressively, such scenarios will definitely come true.”
The article added: “Although it’s called a military exercise, it’s more like an actual combat.
“It’s an emergency response by the PLA and the country to the situation in the Taiwan Straits, which is of great significance, adding the weight of the mainland in dealing with the cross-Straits situation.
“Through this exercise and the previous series of exercises, the PLA has accumulated experience in attacking Taiwan and mastered key data on Taiwan’s defense system.
“They are rehearsals on taking over Taiwan.
“What is needed is a political reason that can turn them into real battle to smash Taiwan independence forces.”
Source: Read Full Article