China has expanded and upgraded three military airbases on its southeast coast, just across from the self-governed island of Taiwan, adding to concerns that Beijing is preparing to go to war to reclaim the island.
Satellite images by Planet Labs Inc, an American company, show Beijing has built aircraft hangars, potential munitions bunkers, extended runways and tarmac aprons, all of which would enhance the combat capabilities of the Chinese air force if it were to attack Taiwan.
The images, first published by The Drive, a US military and tech site, come at a time of tension in the Taiwan Strait. Chinese military aircraft flew a record 150 sorties close to the island’s airspace over five consecutive days in early October, including 56 on October 4 alone.
Beijing has long claimed Taiwan to be part of Chinese territory and vows to
take it by force, if necessary, to achieve national unity.
“Reunification of the nation must be realised and it will definitely be realised,” President Xi declared last week. The Taiwan problem, as “a product of a weaker China”, is certain to be resolved with “the national revival”, Xi said.
He did not mention the use of force but said “reunification through a peaceful manner best suits the overall interest of the Chinese nation, including Taiwan compatriots”.
Across the strait, President
Tsai of Taiwan said the island hoped for an easing of cross-strait relations and that her government would not act rashly.
“But there should be absolutely no illusions that the Taiwanese people will bow to pressure,” she said. “We will continue to bolster our national defence and demonstrate our determination to defend ourselves in order to ensure that nobody can force Taiwan to take the path China has laid out for us.”
The images by Planet Labs confirm earlier pictures from Google Earth that appeared to show construction of extended runways and taxiways as well as of adding more tarmac at the military airbases in Longtian and Huian in the southeast province of Fujian. The bases are 105 miles and 118 miles from Taiwan.The latest images also suggest that the Longtian base has added ammunition bunkers and fortified hangars, which can hide aircraft. The base also features additional administrative buildings and what appears to be a barracks, a sign of increased staffing.
In the Huian base, there are similar developments of additional ammunition bunkers, longer runways and more hangars.
The third base is in Zhangzhou, where satellite images show that China might be building a new surface-to-air missile defence site.
In August, China also unveiled a
£340 million plan to build a civilian airport on reclaimed land in the Taiwan Strait, some 100 miles away from Taipei, Taiwan’s capital city.
State media say the airport, to be located in Pingtan off the southeast coastline, would be “Taiwan-oriented” with a focus to develop direct passenger flights to the island in future.
America, which accepts the “one China” policy but opposes forced unification, has a security pact with Taipei to supply it with sufficient hardware and technology to deter any mainland invasion, but observers have suggested that Beijing may launch a rapid war to seize the island before Washington and its allies can respond.
The US may also be losing its deterrence against China, as Beijing is rapidly modernising its military forces.
“Let’s put it frankly: the US has lost its strength to make ‘rock solid’ commitments to Taiwan,” read an editorial by the
Global Times, a Chinese Communist party-run newspaper.
“The Taiwan Straits and the area near by are within the effective strike range of the [People’s Liberation Army], which is prepared and strong enough to resist outside military interference when the Chinese mainland is determined to solve the Taiwan question.
“The US sending naval and air forces to defend Taiwan would be a death blow to US soldiers,” it continued, adding that China’s nuclear and missile capabilities would deter the US from using its nuclear weapons.
“In short, the US is no longer the country that can exercise military blackmail against China,” the party newspaper concluded.
China is also cultivating closer military and diplomatic ties with Russia.
The countries held joint naval drills in the Sea of Japan today and practised how to operate together and destroy floating enemy mines with artillery fire, the Russian defence ministry said in a statement.
The naval co-operation drills, which are running from October 14-17, involve warships and support vessels from Russia’s Pacific Fleet, including minesweepers and a submarine. Two Chinese destroyers, a submarine and two corvettes were among the vessels Beijing had sent to take part in the drills.