Chinese military simulates island invasion to rattle Taiwan

The large-scale military operation, as Taiwan celebrated its National Day, is the latest in a series of drills that have raised tensions.

China has staged the invasion of an island, in a move thought to be aimed at Taiwan.

China’s military simulated a large-scale amphibious invasion while Taiwan celebrated its National Day at the weekend, the latest in a series of drills raising tensions in the region.

Beijing, which has increased pressure on independently governed Taiwan in recent months, said that it had foiled “hundreds of espionage attempts” by the island’s agents to sabotage efforts to reunify it with the mainland.

A Chinese guided missile destroyer takes part in naval exercises. Picture: AP

In its latest exercise, China’s air, navy and ground forces simulated an attack on an island after reconnaissance units had infiltrated it at night, according to footage shown on China Central Television, the state broadcaster.

A drone ship cleared obstacles for landing vessels to reach the shore, while military helicopters hovered above the water as the attack began.

Under the cover of artillery fire, Chinese soldiers descended from helicopters or disembarked from amphibious vehicles as they reached the beachhead.

Taiwan has a defence pact with Washington, raising the prospect that a local clash could become a superpower conflict.

China's President Xi Jinping. Picture: AFP

Among the alleged spies Beijing claimed to have foiled is a businessman who had photographed a gathering of paramilitary police in the southern city of Shenzhen last year amid unrest in neighbouring Hong Kong.

Lee Meng-chu, 45, who ran an optical company in Taiwan, disappeared in August 2019 after he shared with a friend a photo of the police massing on the mainland, a show of strength that was seen as a deterrent to Hong Kong protesters.

He has been charged with spying as part of “Operation Thunder 2020”, which is designed to crack down on Taiwan’s “separatist forces”.

Beijing accuses Taiwan, which it regards as a renegade province, of colluding with separatists in Hong Kong.

China's aircraft carrier Liaoning takes part in a military drill. Picture: Supplied

State media alleged that Mr Lee’s photos and videos were “military secrets” since they contained information regarding the location and numbers of security forces and their equipment.

“They could be used by overseas forces to analyse the military personnel, equipment, scale, military capabilities and intention, which would severely harm state security,” according to the Global Times, a party-run newspaper. “[Mr Lee] will be severely punished by the law.”

An unnamed state security official told the paper said that Mr Lee’s act was a “typical case of Taiwan’s independence forces interfering with Hong Kong affairs”.

It added that such acts violate Hong Kong’s new national security law, punishable by a prison term of between three years and a life term.

“We are solemnly warning Taiwan’s independence forces not to test the law,” the unnamed official said.

The Times