PLA launches 'Strait Thunder-2025A' drills, showing tighter siege on 'Taiwan independence' secessionist forces: expert
Following the organization of its army, navy, air, and rocket forces to conduct joint exercises around Taiwan island on Tuesday, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) organized the "Strait Thunder-2025A" exercises in the central and southern areas of the Taiwan Straits on Wednesday.
An expert told the Global Times that this move demonstrates the PLA's tighter siege on "Taiwan independence" secessionist forces through more stringent measures with thunderous actions.
On Wednesday, the PLA Eastern Theater Command conducted military exercises code-named "Strait Thunder-2025A" in the middle and southern areas of the Taiwan Straits, according to Senior Colonel Shi Yi, spokesperson of the Eastern Theater Command.
The exercises focus on subjects of identification and verification, warning and expulsion, and interception and detention so as to test the troops' capabilities of area regulation and control, joint blockade and control, and precision strikes on key targets, Shi said.
Zhang Chi, a professor at the National Defense University, told Global Times that Wednesday's PLA exercises in the Taiwan Straits are codenamed "Strait Thunder-2025A," which shows that the PLA has rich options and various measures in deterring "Taiwan independence" secessionist forces.
For the Lai Ching-te authorities and "Taiwan independence" secessionist forces, the PLA is always on a high level of combat readiness, like a sharp sword or a heavy hammer over their heads, Zhang said.
"We are tightening the siege and chains on the 'Taiwan independence' secessionist forces through stricter measures with thunderous actions. It means that the more 'Taiwan independence' secessionist forces provoke, the stronger the punishment will be put on them," Zhang said.
Fu Zhengnan, an expert at the PLA’s Academy of Military Science, told the Global Times on Wednesday that the “Strait Thunder-2025A” exercises formed a situation in which the island of Taiwan is surrounded from two sides, as “independence” forces are pinned down and deterred.
From the “Joint Sword” series drills in 2024 to the latest “Strait Thunder” operation, the change in code name means the PLA’s military measures to deter “independence” are becoming more and more comprehensive, according to Fu.
Fu said that during the exercises, the PLA Eastern Theater Command had warships and warplane formations advancing simultaneously, locking down the island from two directions, and conducted simulated strikes on key “Taiwan independence” targets. Under the support of a strong reconnaissance and early warning system, the PLA quickly seized the comprehensive control over the battlefield through aerial interception, sea assault and land strikes, forming a psychological deterrent on the “Taiwan independence” forces.
Through routine combat patrols and pressuring, the PLA’s capabilities of joint operations in deterring “Taiwan independence” have significantly increased. If the Lai Ching-te authorities dare to touch the red line or the bottom line, the PLA can crush “Taiwan independence” forces with thunderous strikes, Fu said.