July 2 (UPI) — A magazine in China published the outline of a three-stage invasion of Taiwan to mark the centenary of the Chinese Communist Party, as Beijing pushes rhetoric about completing reunification with the island nation.
Naval and Merchant Ships magazine disclosed details of a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan and promoted the article via social media platform Weibo with a video, the South China Morning Post reported Friday.
“We must solemnly warn some people that the road of Taiwan independence only leads to a dead end,” the magazine stated on Weibo, according to the report.
Cross-strait relations have deteriorated since Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen assumed office. Tsai has championed Taiwan’s system of democratic rule and challenged Beijing’s one-China policy, which does not recognize Taiwanese sovereignty.
According to Naval and Merchant Ships, ballistic missile attacks in the first round would destroy Taiwan’s data gathering capabilities, including at airports.
China’s short-range ballistic missile, the DF-16, would be deployed in addition to munitions dispensers.
“The attacks against Taiwan’s airports would continue until [Chinese] surface troops had accomplished an assault landing,” the magazine distributed by the China State Shipbuilding Corporation said.
The second stage of the attack would include cruise missile attacks, including the YJ-91 and CJ-10, launched from land, ships and submarines. People’s Liberation Army surface ships would use drones to survey the damage afterward.
The third and final stage would consist of artillery strikes from ships and on-land forces to remove “any remaining obstacles,” the article said.
Xi Jinping said Thursday on the Party’s centenary that he stands by “an unshakable commitment” to unify China and Taiwan, according to state media.
“Resolving the Taiwan problem and realizing national reunification is the historical mission of the CCP and the aspiration of the Chinese nation,” Xi said.
Taiwan’s presidential office responded Thursday on Twitter, telling Beijing to “grow up,” Taiwan News reported.
U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley said last month China is accelerating its military capabilities to be ready to take Taiwan by 2027.
Naval and Merchant Ships did not include a counter-attack scenario in which U.S. or Japanese forces respond to a Chinese assault, according to the Post.