On Saturday, the Taiwan Ministry of National Defense stated that it is monitoring multiple missile test launches by the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force in Inner Mongolia and remains on high alert. This announcement marks an unusual move for Taiwan.
While Taiwanese authorities have always closely monitored any military actions by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), they rarely disclose information about military activities observed in mainland China.
According to a news release on the Taiwan Ministry of National Defense website, since early Saturday at 4 a.m., Taiwan’s military has successively detected the PLA Rocket Force’s “multiple rounds of test launches in the Mongolian region.” Utilizing comprehensive intelligence surveillance measures, Taiwan’s military is “closely monitoring and continuously tracking relevant movements.” The air defense forces are on high alert, enhancing alertness and readiness accordingly.
The Ministry of National Defense did not provide more detailed information on the PLA Rocket Force’s test launches. The reported distance of the test site from Taiwan is 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles).
In recent years, the CCP has repeatedly pledged to unify Taiwan and openly emphasized not ruling out the option of military aggression. This underscores the increasing importance of the Rocket Force for the CCP as it oversees conventional missile and land-based nuclear missile projects, including intercontinental ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads. In August 2022, during a military exercise encircling Taiwan, the CCP launched ballistic missiles as a form of military intimidation towards Taiwan in retaliation for former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan.
According to Reuters, security officials stated that Taiwan has powerful radar stations established on some peaks in the Central Mountain Range, enabling in-depth monitoring of the situation in mainland China.
The CCP has continuously claimed sovereignty over Taiwan, resisting Tsai Ing-wen’s presidency. Similar to her predecessor Tsai Ing-wen, current President Lai Ching-te has rejected the CCP’s sovereignty assertions, stating that only the people of Taiwan can determine their own future. In his inaugural speech in May, Lai Ching-te expressed a desire for peaceful coexistence with mainland China and urged the CCP to cease military threats and intimidation towards Taiwan. Lai Ching-te has proposed dialogue with the Chinese government multiple times, all of which have been rejected.
Just three days after Lai Ching-te assumed the presidency, the CCP initiated encircling military exercises around Taiwan, prompting condemnation from Europe and the United States.
The PLA Rocket Force’s missile test on Saturday in Inner Mongolia has attracted external attention in recent years. The CCP has conducted a significant purge of the Rocket Force since last year. Bloomberg reported in January this year, citing sources familiar with the matter, that U.S. intelligence indicates that China’s production of substandard missiles and inadequate core military equipment quality triggered the purge within the CCP.
One source mentioned that U.S. intelligence assessments outlined several instances of corruption within the CCP military, such as missiles being filled with water instead of fuel and the ineffectiveness of missile launch wells across a vast area in Western China.
These revelations have raised doubts about the actual combat capabilities of the CCP military. U.S. officials even speculate that this could reduce the likelihood of the CCP considering significant military actions in the coming years.