Latest news with #Kinmen
Telegraph
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
On Taiwan's forgotten front line, all the defensive drills in the world may not matter
The tanks and armoured vehicles rolled onto the sandy beach in the dead of night on Taiwan's Kinmen island, lying in wait for the signal. Within minutes, the order came over the loudspeaker, and the drills began with a series of huge explosions shaking the ground of this small island, located just two kilometres from China. The rumbling thunder of rockets being launched towards the water could be heard from the edge of the beach. Seconds later, the sound of machine guns and a howitzer split the air while lasers lit up the night sky with orange lines. The drills taking place at the Houhu Seaside Park on Kinmen's east coast are part of Taiwan's annual Han Kuang military drills. They are hosted there to showcase its military prowess and prepare its troops in the event of a Chinese invasion. This year, the exercises are the biggest and longest ever, with more than 22,000 reservists deployed for 10 days of weapons training as well as a wide range of field exercises, which have included running through Taipei's subway system in the middle of the night. The drills on Kinmen are particularly important, given that its proximity to China has earned it the label of Taiwan's 'front line'. However, those who live on Kinmen, including the troops, believe that this designation may no longer be valid; with some of the world's most advanced weapons, if China wanted to attack Taiwan today, it could go straight for the jugular and hit the capital, Taipei. 'In the past, the military technology was not that advanced so the Chinese communists could only bomb Kinmen Island, but now they can launch missiles across the ocean, even to the United States,' said Yu-Jen Chen, who represents Kinmen in Taiwan's Legislative Yuan – similar to a member of parliament in the UK. As part of this year's larger Han Kuang drills, they will also involve 'unscripted' portions to more accurately simulate what would happen in the event of an attack. On Kinmen, this means that some of the soldiers participating in the night-time drills have not been told key information in advance. 'They will only be deployed to the beach, when they receive the order from their commanders,' said a military source who spoke on the condition of anonymity as they are not authorised to speak to the media. 'Previously they would have a planned mobilisation, but this time they don't have an arranged deployment.' Similar to the rest of Han Kuang, the drills on Kinmen this year are the largest ever, with all 3,000 soldiers stationed on the island taking part. Nine M60A3 tanks and four CM21 armoured vehicles were seen lining up before launching a torrent of projectiles towards Taiwan island. There will also be continuous shooting across the main island, neighbouring Lesser Kinmen and nine surrounding islets, marking the first time all 12 are using live fire. 'This is the biggest one in history. While the islets have been included as part of the annual Han Kuang in the past, this year we made adjustments to have simultaneous live-firing on all of them,' Lt Gen Wang Shi-Tu, commander of the Kinmen Defense Command, told The Telegraph. 'This is because of the threats, especially the threats coming from the other side of the Taiwan Strait.' China claims Taiwan as part of its territory, a stance which the government in Taipei rejects, and has not ruled out the use of force to 'reunify' the country. However, those who live in Kinmen don't believe that the drills are all that useful. 'I was joking with a general who said that if a war happens they will mobilise their troops to hide in the mountains so we can avoid escalating the battle and minimise the destruction on Kinmen,' said Wang Song-Wei, who works at the Kinmen county government. There used to be approximately 100,000 troops stationed on Kinmen Island, but over the years this number has decreased to the 3,000 or so here today – hardly enough to defend the island against China's strength of more than two million. Legislator Chen explained that having fewer troops on Kinmen makes the island less of a target. The island also doesn't look the way you would imagine a frontline to look. Former military bases have been turned into museums, with artillery used in tourist showcases and old tanks left outside to rust and decay. All of this is compounded by the greatest disadvantage facing Kinmen – that it would more or less be left to fend for itself in the event of an attack. Legislator Chen said that the 'official attitude' from the ministry of national defence in Taipei is that if Kinmen were attacked, its people would have to 'fight for ourselves independently'. This sentiment was echoed by several residents across the island, including Jason Yang, who was born and raised on Kinmen, but before retiring served as one of the highest officials in the military's combat unit on the main island. 'In the event of a possible confrontation with China, it would not be a priority for Taipei to send troops,' he said. Mr Wang believes one of the reasons that Lai Ching-te, the Taiwan president, decided to increase the scale of the Han Kuang drills this year was to appeal to the United States and, as the 'frontline', Kinmen needed to be included. The US has long maintained a principle of strategic ambiguity when it comes to Taiwan, refraining from asserting whether it would come to the country's defence in the event of an attack. The Pentagon has recently been pushing Japan and Australia to clarify what kind of role they would play if Taiwan was attacked. One unnamed US official said that this was to ensure that 'the United States and its allies have the military strength to underwrite diplomacy and guarantee peace'. For his part, Anthony Albanese, the Australian prime minister, rebuffed the efforts, saying that his country would not join a 'hypothetical' conflict with China over Taiwan. President Donald Trump has echoed this position, while also pushing for Taiwan to do its own part to protect itself, including by increasing its defence budget. 'It is very likely Lai is trying to show off to Trump. He takes action based on loyalty. He wants people to grovel and that is what Lai is doing,' said Mr Wang. While the threat of an invasion looms over many in Taipei, for those on Kinmen, they don't believe China would attack 'its own family', as one resident put it. Kinmen and Xiamen, the Chinese city closest to the island, are very close culturally and many residents on both sides have family on the other. No one understands this better than Xi Jinping, the Chinese president, who served as vice-mayor of the coastal city during the 1980s. The government in Beijing has been capitalising on these ties in recent years, adopting what has become known as the Kinmen Model. This refers to Chinese coast guard activities aimed at furthering legal cross-strait relations by removing Taipei's authority over the Taiwan Strait. China has deployed many vessels – both officially and unofficially – into the strait over the years as part of its 'grey zone' efforts to intimidate and coerce Taiwan. Given this, it came as little surprise to those gathered on the beach that the island's largest drills to date began with the encroachment of a Chinese fishing boat.
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
China builds next-gen amphibious barges to flood Taiwan's beaches with tanks, troops
China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) has quietly begun sea trials of its new Shuiqiao-type landing barges, according to state-linked military channels. These amphibious vessels, now battling civilian cars and trucks in logistical tests, are raising alarms in Taiwan as they appear designed to land troops and heavy vehicles on contested islands. Satellite imagery and public domain media confirm that the barges were recently worked on at Guangzhou Shipyard before being trialed offshore. Each vessel deploys a jack-up platform and a Bailey bridge-style ramp capable of spanning 120 meters (393 feet), enabling direct vehicle transfer from ship to shore over otherwise impassable terrain. While Chinese commentators highlight these as dual-use platforms, ideal for natural disaster relief, their scale and configuration closely mirror multipurpose invasion barges likened to the London Mulberry systems of WWII fame. Taiwanese defense officials worry these could bypass fortified beaches and enable rapid PLA landings on offshore islands, such as Kinmen or Matsu, well before the main island defenses can react. The barge tests occur amid increasingly robust PLA drills. In late April, the Eastern Theater Command conducted the major 'Strait Thunder‑2025A' exercises, featuring air, sea, naval, and rocket units around Kinmen and Matsu. Early June saw China's two carriers, Liaoning and Shandong, operate together near Japan and the second island chain, prompting warnings in Tokyo and Taipei. Today's civilian war game in Taipei saw former US, Japanese, and Taiwanese officials simulate a PLA invasion by 2030. Participants noted Taiwan's coastal islands as the likely initial targets, underscoring Beijing's amphibious strategy. China, too, appears sharply aware: the PLA staged amphibious landings 1.5 km offshore Fujian Province, with Type‑05 armored vehicles attacking mock beaches. Taipei's defenders remain anxious. A South China Morning Post report notes growing fear that PLA drills could escalate into real action with 'no time to respond.' US analysts echo these concerns: Beijing aims to be operationally ready for a Taiwan strike by 2027, known as the 'Davidson window,' according to CIA projections. The Shuiqiao barges exemplify China's civil‑military fusion model, blending civilian roll‑on/roll‑off ship designs into the PLA amphibious force structure. That strategy mirrors broader modernization; PLA's Type‑075/076 landing helicopter docks and carrier formations form a triad of increased littoral power. Analysts warn that the barges open new landing options across Taiwan's coast, especially in under-defended areas and estuaries. Their agility and civilian guise complicate Taipei's defensive grid and could pose asymmetric threats to local military calculators. China's amphibious upgrades come as Beijing ratchets up multi-domain drills surrounding Taiwan, and islands like Kinmen and Matsu are repeatedly overflown and blocked. This persistent pressure aims to erode Taiwan's buffer zones while familiarizing PLA units with invasion protocols and integration at sea, air, missile, and cyber levels. For Taiwan, it means tightening island defense, investing in sea-drone swarms, and upgrading missile systems. Taipei's recent self-led war game revealed brittle interior coherence under pressure, fuelling urgent calls for international backing. These new amphibious barges, tested with trucks today and tanks tomorrow, are emblematic of Beijing's evolving posture: flexible, covert, and ready for rapid deployment. As PLA naval and carrier power grows, these floating causeways are a subtle but potent signal. This illustrates how China intends to choke Taiwan's defenses at the periphery before making grander claims for the island. Given the high frequency of air incursions, maritime drills, naval carrier group passages, and growing US concerns, the timing of this barge patrol is no accident. They are the architectural blueprints of potential cross-Strait operations in the near future. Especially as China's defense machinery backs up rhetoric with amphibious architecture, the question for Taipei and its allies isn't if but when and how swiftly the PLA might act.
The Independent
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Independent
Terrified passengers film plane's engine cover breaking apart mid-air
This is the moment terrified passengers watched on as a plane's engine cover broke apart mid-air. Shocking footage shows the metal panel of the ATR 72-600 aircraft flapping violently, exposing the internal engine components on Friday, May 16 over Taiwan. The incident occurred shortly after takeoff from Kaohsiung International Airport. Passengers on board Mandarin Airlines flight AE301, bound for Kinmen, became alarmed when the plane began to shake from the issue with the turbopropeller engine. The pilots quickly declared an in-flight emergency and returned the aircraft to Kaohsiung, where it landed safely. An investigation is currently underway to determine the cause.
Telegraph
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Chinese men attempt to enter Taiwan on makeshift rafts
Authorities in Taiwan have arrested two Chinese nationals after they sailed over on makeshift rafts and attempted to sneak ashore. The incident, the third of its kind this month alone, occurred on Tuesday and coincided with the one-year anniversary of William Lai, Taiwan's president, taking office. The two men were apprehended while trying to land on Erdan Island, which is part of Taiwan's Kinmen county and a mere three miles from the Chinese coast. Images released by the Taiwan coast guard show a man holding a paddle and kneeling a polystyrene board, which he reportedly launched from a traditional wooden boat known as a sampan. The suspects could face a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of up to NT$500,000 (£12,420). The coast guard said that there has been a 'recent surge in the number of cases in which the Chinese Communist Party has used small targets to harass Taiwan ' and Taiwanese authorities have not ruled out that Beijing could be using 'illegal immigration by boats to conduct cognitive warfare '. Earlier this month, a Chinese influencer who goes by the name Shandong Kaige travelled from China to Taiwan on a motorised dinghy. In one video from the water, he claimed that he was 'entrusted with a mission' to 'safeguard the island of Taiwan ' and ensure its 'return to the motherland'. In a separate clip posted later on land, he showed off a Chinese flag, which he said he planted 'on this territory so beloved by the motherland'. He claimed to have left later the same day. In a separate incident last week, a Chinese father and his teenage son landed in Taoyuan, a city south of Taipei that hosts the capital's main airport, after crossing more than 100 kilometres from China's Fujian province in a small rubber dinghy. They claimed to be victims of persecution and wanted to 'seek freedom' in Taiwan. The coastguard claimed it had not been able to detect the boat because it was too small to be picked up on their radar technology. At least 40 people have been picked up by the coast guard since the start of the year, although it is unclear how many have come from China.
BBC News
21-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Taiwan arrests men who travelled from China in small boat
Taiwanese authorities have arrested two Chinese nationals who sailed over in a small boat and attempted to land on an is the third incident this month in which Chinese nationals appear to have reached Taiwan by boat, stoking security has accused Chinese authorities of using these incidents to "harass" them. Beijing has yet to respond, nor has it commented on the recent considers itself a sovereign country, but China views it as one of its provinces and has not ruled out the possibility of using force to claim it. The Taiwanese coastguard said in a statement they had detected the two men sailing into their waters on a sampan, or a small wooden boat, in the early hours of men were caught "launching a styrofoam float" from their Chinese-registered sampan in the waters off Erdan released by the coastguard appear to show a man kneeling on a small floating board with a paddle in his is part of Taiwan's Kinmen district, which is a mere 5km (3 miles) from the Chinese was on high alert for possible threats from China on the day the men were apprehended: the one-year anniversary of the inauguration of Taiwanese president William Lai, whom Beijing week a Chinese father and his teenage son landed in Taoyuan on the northern tip of Taiwan's main island, after crossing over in a small rubber were raised about how they managed to travel more than 100km across the Taiwan Strait - one of the most heavily patrolled patches in the region and a busy international shipping lane - without being coastguard confirmed the landing occurred on 16 May, but admitted that they had not detected the boat before it landed as it was too small to be picked up on their radar father and son, who were from the southern Chinese province of Fujian, reportedly claimed they were victims of persecution in China and wanted to "seek freedom" in another case that has stoked worries, a Chinese social media influencer posted several clips online appearing to show that he had travelled across the Taiwan Strait and landed on a beach, also in influencer, who goes by the nickname Shandong Kaige, claimed he had set off from Fujian on 15 May and travelled for about nine hours on a motorised rubber dinghy. He was seen next to a Chinese flag on a beach, which he claimed he had planted "on this territory so beloved by the motherland".Taiwanese authorities have analysed the footage and concluded that it was authentic. They confirmed the man had landed in Taoyuan, but said they were still investigating whether the man had travelled by boat across the strait or had flown into caught illegally entering Taiwan can face up to five years in jail and a fine of up to 500,000 Taiwanese dollars (£12,300; $1,600).Taiwan used to see thousands of Chinese attempting to enter illegally every year, particularly in the 1990s when Taiwan's booming economy attracted impoverished Chinese looking for work. While overall numbers are much lower now, there appears to be an uptick in recent years, according to official figures published in Taiwanese were 15 Chinese caught in 2023, and while there are no available figures for the whole of last year, 23 were caught between June and January this year the coastguard has caught about 40 people including the men in Tuesday's case - although it is not known how many of those were from Tuesday, the coastguard said there has been a "recent surge in the number of cases in which the Chinese Communist Party has used small targets to harass Taiwan" as part of its greyzone authorities have not ruled out that Beijing would "use illegal immigration by boats to conduct cognitive warfare", the coastguard has also said there is an "urgent need" to upgrade its surveillance technology to combat these say that China has been using greyzone tactics, which are manoeuvres that fall short of an invasion and exist in a grey area, to weaken Taiwan over a prolonged period. These include Chinese warplanes and coastguard boats repeatedly entering Taiwan's airspace and waters. More recently, Taiwanese authorities have alleged that Chinese-linked commercial ships have been deliberately damaging Taiwan's undersea communication reporting by Ian Tang
