Taiwan braces for tougher mainland China forces, defence minister says of reshaped Central Military Commission
Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung covers major news in Taiwan, ranging from presidential and parliament elections to killer earthquakes and typhoons. Most of his reports focus on Taiwan’s relations with China, specifically on the impact and possible developments of cross-strait relations under the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party and mainland-friendly Kuomintang governments. Before starting work at the South China Morning Post in 2006, he wrote for Reuters and AFP for more than 12 years.
Taiwan will have to deal with a tougher and more modernised People’s Liberation Army following the reshuffle of top military leadership in mainland China, the island’s defence minister has said.
Not only were members of Beijing’s newly reshuffled Central Military Commission relatively younger than previous commissions, but some of them were more familiar with Taiwan and had war experience and a technology background, Chiu Kuo-cheng said on Monday.
“It means the [PLA] would adopt a tougher strategy in dealing with Taiwan in the future,” Chiu said.
He made the comments in response to lawmakers’ queries in a legislature meeting in Taipei on how the mainland’s new Central Military Commission would affect combat strategies towards the self-ruled island.
The Chinese Communist Party reshuffled its top military leadership on Sunday, a day after the closing session of its 20th party congress, signalling that the PLA would become more focused on Taiwan in the next five years and beyond.
General He Weidong, 65 who has a wealth of command experience in China’s eastern military districts, was made the second-ranked vice-chairman of the powerful Central Military Commission.
Except for commission chairman President Xi Jinping, 69, and General Zhang Youxia 72, who was promoted to first-ranked vice-chairman, the remaining five commission members are aged between 58 and 67 – relatively younger than members of previous commissions, Chiu said.
“While two of them were born in Fujian and are familiar with Taiwan, two have war experience,” Chiu said, referring to He and Admiral Miao Hua, 66, who was political director of the 31st Group Army in 1999, with both hailing from the southeastern Fujian province and sharing a strong Taiwan-related background.
He, former commander of the Eastern Theatre Command whose area of responsibility covers Taiwan and the East China Sea, is known to have planned unprecedented live-fire drills staged by the PLA in August in response to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Taiwan visit.
t trip was seen by Beijing as a violation of its sovereignty and a breach of the United States’ one-China policy.
Zhang, who has been instrumental in mainland leader Xi Jinping’s military reforms, took part in the 1979 border clashes between China and Vietnam and in the 1984 Battle of Laoshan between the two countries.
Like Zhang, Liu Zhenli, 58, a war hero involved in the 1986 border clash between China and Vietnam, also has battle experience.
Chiu said the new commission members came from the army, navy and rocket force, with some also having aerospace and technology backgrounds.
“This means the PLA will also put emphasis on advanced technology development,” Chiu said of the PLA’s modernisation trend.
Asked if the PLA would become more hostile to Taiwan, Chiu told Taiwanese lawmakers that while the PLA was expected to become tougher in dealing with the island, it was not likely to intensify overnight given that military strategies and policies needed continuity.
“They would act [tougher] step-by-step,” he said, adding that the cross-strait situation had become more severe every day. He said the island’s military would continue to strengthen its readiness to be prepared for combat at all times.
Chiu also said the island’s military would restructure its personnel system in line with changes to the mainland’s reshuffled military commission, albeit on a small scale.
Beijing considers Taiwan its territory that must be taken under control, by force if necessary. Most countries, including the US, do not see Taiwan as an independent state, but are opposed to any change of status quo by force.