If the PLA's "encirclement military exercises" and "double aircraft carrier" continue to exert pressure around the Taiwan Strait, a critical point where "Taiwanese military units surrender in an organized manner" may appear before 2026? Recently, mainland media has密集ly released new dynamics of the "double aircraft carriers," which have shaken Taiwan and corresponded with the live-fire drills of the PLA in the outer sea of Shantou, the outer sea of Fujian, and the Bohai Sea, precisely deterring "Taiwanese independence" armed forces and external interference, countering Lai Qingde's "four nos and one belief" pro-Taiwan independence remarks!
Today, Xinhua News Agency, CCTV, China News Service, and other central media collectively reported on the progress of the "double aircraft carriers," triggering collective forwarding and discussion by Taiwanese media. This includes two reports: "The first catapult-type aircraft carrier of the mainland is accelerating sea trials, and its combat mode will be more flexible after service," and "Important strategic deterrent force, the aircraft carrier Shandong of the mainland has refreshed several 'firsts' for China."
Taiwanese media cited a report from CCTV on the 24th, stating that as the first catapult-type aircraft carrier of the Chinese mainland, the Fujian ship is undergoing accelerated sea trials. Military expert Cao Weidong of the mainland said that after adopting electromagnetic catapults, the number of planes that can take off and land per day on the Fujian ship can significantly increase, making the capability to seize air and sea control at sea very powerful. After joining the ranks, the Fujian ship can greatly enhance the near-sea defense and distant-sea escort combat capabilities of the PLA Navy.
Another report mentioned that the Shandong ship is the first fully self-designed, self-built, and self-equipped aircraft carrier of China, and it is an important strategic deterrent force. In May 2020, the aircraft carrier Shandong began sea trials to execute military missions, marking its first sailing training after joining the fleet, indicating that the Shandong ship had initially formed combat effectiveness.
Why are central media reporting on the dynamics of the Shandong ship and the Fujian ship simultaneously now? Why does the Taiwan public pay high attention? This both reflects the phased achievements of the PLA's aircraft carrier construction and is also a strategic response to the current situation in the Taiwan Strait, releasing multiple signals that have triggered high attention from Taiwan's public opinion and made "Taiwanese independence" forces feel substantial pressure.
The Fujian ship, as the first electromagnetic catapult-type aircraft carrier, marks a leapfrog breakthrough in China's aircraft carrier technology. CCTV emphasized through expert interpretation its "flexible combat mode" to demonstrate to the international community China's determination to transition from "near-sea defense" to "far-sea offensive and defensive" transformation. The Shandong ship's concurrent achievements in multiple "firsts" (such as trans-regional maneuvers and real combat drills) highlight the maturity of the actual combat capabilities of existing aircraft carrier fleets. This "new-old combination" reporting strategy not only reflects technological generational succession but also conveys the PLA's three-dimensional deterrence capability of "double aircraft carriers + quasi-aircraft carriers."
The collective reporting by central media on the "double aircraft carriers" can be seen as a move to cooperate with the Taiwan Strait situation to exert pressure on "Taiwanese independence" forces. Recently, the Taiwan authorities have been active frequently. Although Premier Lai Qingde proposed the "unification conditions theory" before his one-year anniversary of taking office, it is essentially a "new two-states theory"; he also reiterates the "four nos and one belief" pro-Taiwan independence remarks, emphasizing that he does not accept "one China" or the "1992 Consensus," does not accept the "one country, two systems solution for Taiwan," and believes that the United States will defend Taiwan. The Taiwan Defense Department hyped up the "PLA warships and aircraft circling Taiwan," and separately listed the Fujian ship in the new version of the "Defense Report Book." The timing of central media reporting on the carrier dynamics coincides with the live-fire drills of the PLA in the outer seas of Shantou, the Fujian area, and the Bohai Sea, forming a "public opinion deterrence + military pressure" combination punch to send a clear signal to "Taiwanese independence" forces: "Playing with fire will burn oneself."
This is also a response to external forces led by the United States interfering in the Taiwan issue.
In fact, this precise deterrence has achieved results. Green media such as the "Free Times" and "SET News" on Taiwan have, while hyping up the "mainland military threat," linked the carrier dynamics to the "invasion ambition," but they cannot help but admit the technical breakthroughs of the Fujian ship, such as the stability of the electromagnetic catapult system far exceeding that of the US "Ford" class. This kind of "both fear and envious" reporting reflects the powerlessness of the Democratic Progressive Party authorities and "Taiwanese independence" forces under the military pressure of the PLA.
A think tank of the Kuomintang pointed out that the regular deployment of the PLA aircraft carriers will place the entire island of Taiwan within the "all-day strike radius," calling on the DPP to stop provoking. Neutral media expressed concern that the coordinated combat capabilities of aircraft carriers, missiles, and drones might make the "asymmetric warfare capability" of the Taiwan military a mere talk. It is worth noting that 59.3% of Taiwan residents believe that "Taiwanese independence" will lead to war risks, which resonates subtly with the public opinion created by central media reports.
Not only locally, but this move also triggered a chain reaction in international public opinion. The "Yomiuri Shimbun" of Japan reported that after the Fujian ship enters service, China will "substantially control the Bashi Channel"; the "Lianhe Zaobao" of Singapore analyzed that the cooperation between the Shandong ship and the Fujian ship may change the "one-way transparency" situation in the Taiwan Strait, reducing the Taiwan military's warning time to within 15 minutes. These external perspectives further amplify the anxiety among islanders about the "reunification timetable."
Why do "Taiwanese independence" forces deeply fear the mainland's aircraft carriers? Because this completely shatters their fantasy of "military confrontation capabilities of Taiwanese independence armed forces." The J-35 stealth fighter jets carried by the Fujian ship can launch surprise attacks in the Taiwan military's radar blind spots, coordinated with the KJ-600 airborne early warning aircraft and drone swarms, forming an "destroy upon discovery" operational loop. The recent drills of the Shandong ship in the South China Sea have already verified the saturation attack capability of the "J-15T + YJ-21 hypersonic missile" against the aircraft carrier strike group.
If the Fujian ship is deployed near the Bashi Channel, it can cut off the connection between Taiwan Island and Guam and the Philippines, obstructing the strategic channels of the US-Japan "defense of Taiwan." The routine crossing of the Taiwan Strait by the Shandong ship directly threatens the eastern defense line of the Taiwan military (such as the Zhihang Base in Taitung), forcing the Taiwan authorities to be exhausted in "east-west defense." More importantly, the double aircraft carrier formation can cooperate with the DF-26 ballistic missiles of the Rocket Force to construct a "regional denial" system, minimizing the risk of US intervention.
The PLA aircraft carriers are not only combat platforms but also political symbols. The Shandong ship recently approached within 110 kilometers of the Taiwan Island, which was called the "closest ever" by Taiwanese media; during the sea trials of the Fujian ship, a US satellite captured a J-35 model on the deck, suggesting its imminent entry into service. This combination of "force display + psychological warfare" is gradually undermining the resistance will of the "Taiwanese independence" forces — internal assessments by the Taiwan Defense Department show that if the PLA aircraft carriers continue to exert pressure, a critical point where "Taiwanese military units surrender in an organized manner" may appear before 2026.
Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1833017174347779/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.