China’s military preparations
Since 2012, President Xi Jinping has overseen the most significant restructuring of China’s military in decades. This includes dissolving the four traditional military departments and replacing them with 15 new organisations under the Central Military Commission (CMC), as well as creating five joint theatre commands. These changes enhance coordination across the services and focus on regional operations, including potential Taiwan scenarios.
Under Xi, the PLA has become a modern, agile, and technologically advanced force capable of joint operations across land, sea, air, cyber, and space domains. Regular deployments and large-scale exercises around Taiwan help train the PLA for amphibious assaults, air superiority campaigns, and maritime blockades, key for a force that has not fought a war since 1979.
The PLA has also invested heavily in cutting-edge technologies. These include, but are not limited to:
Capabilities that could target Taiwan
Amphibious assault ships: type 075 amphibious assault ships deploy helicopters, landing craft, and marines; key assets for a potential island invasion.
Amphibious brigades: mechanized infantry units from the PLA 72nd and 73rd Group Armies (approximately 20,000 troops) are specially trained for amphibious operations.
Barges: Invasion barges would be used to create bridges and ports to support the flow of troops and equipment into Taiwan.
Missiles: The PLA has state of the art short range, cruise and hypersonic missiles that could target Taiwan’s defences to enable rapid dominance.
Combat aircraft: such as the J-20 stealth fighter, are designed to challenge air superiority by neutralising Taiwan’s air force or the forces of a third-party.
Airborne assault capabilities: such as Z-20 and Z-8 helicopters and Y-20 transport aircraft enable the rapid deployment of troops and equipment.
Unmanned Aircraft: such as the Wing Loong Series, or the new Jui Tian “drone carrier” provide intelligence, surveillance and precision strikes.
Capabilities targeting third party intervention
Area denial weapons: DF-21D “carrier-killer” and DF-26 missiles could target US carriers, bases in Guam, and allied ships.
Submarines: Yuan-class diesel-electric and Shang-class nuclear-powered attack submarines patrol key straits and chokepoints.
Maritime assets: Type 055 destroyers could launch hypersonic anti-ship missiles against potential US reinforcements from Guam or Japan.
Long range bombers: H-6K and H-6N bombers could conduct standoff strikes against US bases and carrier strike groups.
Non-kinetic Capabilities
Beyond kinetic capabilities, the PLA is also focusing on developing cyber and electronic warfare as well as satellite and space-based reconnaissance capabilities. These include, but are not limited to:
Cyber operations: The Cyberspace Force, could target Taiwan’s command, control, communications, financial networks, and critical infrastructure.
Electronic warfare: Y-9G aircraft disrupt radar, command-and-control systems, and missile guidance.
Information and psychological warfare: CSF Base 311 could use media, texts, and mobile apps to demoralise Taiwan’s military and civilians.
Anti-satellite operations: PLA Aerospace Force can employ ground-based lasers and satellite systems to disrupt ISR, navigation, and communication satellites.
Civilian assets: maritime militia (civilian ships under military direction) could be used to harass US and allied ships, clog straits and deny access.
