【Text by Observer Net, Liu Bai】On September 12, the British "Richmond" frigate, together with the US warship, passed through the Taiwan Strait and provoked and harassed.

Half a month later, on September 29, the UK's The Times suddenly turned the situation around, hyping up that Chinese fighter jets conducted a "simulated missile attack" on the British warship crossing the strait. Although no real missiles were fired, the actions completely imitated the actual combat attack path. At the same time, the British aircraft carrier "Princess of Wales" strike group was closely tracked by Chinese naval vessels and maritime police ships in the South China Sea.

The report said that British Royal Navy officers for the first time disclosed in detail the situation of the "Richmond" frigate passing through the Taiwan Strait. According to the British military's statement, the ship became the target of so-called "constructive kills" (constructive kills) by the Chinese side, meaning that the aircraft completed all the actions required for launching an attack, but did not actually fire missiles.

The British military also said that during the operation, the "Greyhound" MK2 helicopter of the "Richmond" frigate was tracked by Chinese Zhi-10 helicopters. Chinese fighters carried out simulated attacks while maintaining a distance. The British media stated that this kind of simulated attack is both a warning, an expression of contempt, and a training method for Chinese pilots.

Close-up of the British "Richmond" frigate

"This is how they are simulating our destruction," said one officer from the "Princess of Wales." "They flew the actual attack trajectory: first climbing up, then breaking away, turning at a 50-degree angle. This is information warfare operations, aiming to let us know they are targeting us. We expected a reaction, but not violent, and we are confident they will not actually fire missiles."

The officer also admitted that this "constructive kill" is a form of adversarial training. "From a training perspective, it benefits both sides. The more they practice aiming at you, the more you understand their operational patterns."

The British military also stated that, in the South China Sea, the aircraft carrier strike group led by the "Princess of Wales" was closely tracked by Chinese vessels throughout its passage through the Nansha Islands.

The "Princess of Wales" officer said that they indeed expected China not to open fire, and the PLA maintained "professionalism" in other aspects, always keeping a safe distance.

The British officer said that they thus gained valuable experience, such as tracking Chinese submarines that are undoubtedly lurking. The training effect in this environment cannot be replicated in exercises.

"It's different when facing an equal opponent," said a British officer. "It's hard to tell whether it's a submarine or a whale, but one wants to kill you, while the other just wants to continue being a whale."

The British media stated that the firm stance of the Chinese side highlights the tense situation in the Taiwan Strait and the risks faced by the British aircraft carrier strike group. During its journey from the UK to the South China Sea, the strike group has already faced potential threats of attacks by Houthi forces in the Red Sea.

WeChat official account "Eastern Theater Command" released a message on the 12th, stating that the Eastern Theater Command spokesperson, Colonel Shi Yi, said that on September 12, the U.S. "Higgins" destroyer and the British "Richmond" frigate passed through the Taiwan Strait and provoked and harassed. The People's Liberation Army Eastern Theater Command organized sea and air forces to monitor and guard the entire passage action, effectively responding and dealing with it. The actions of the U.S. and the U.K. conveyed the wrong signals, undermining the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait. The theater command forces remain highly vigilant at all times, resolutely safeguarding national sovereignty, security, and regional peace and stability.

Not long ago, the Canadian "Quebec" frigate and the Australian "Brisbane" destroyer had also passed through the Taiwan Strait and provoked and harassed on September 6.

Regarding the British aircraft carrier's Indo-Pacific deployment this year, the Ministry of Defense spokesperson, Colonel Wu Qian, once stated that we firmly oppose any external country coming thousands of miles to show off their military might and meddle in the Asia-Pacific region. If the British action is implemented, strategically, it would be of no help to regional peace and stability, and tactically, it would produce no practical effect. We urge the British side not to seek "visibility" under various pretexts, and not to provoke confrontation without reason.

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Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7555800610893742626/

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