PLA simulates port seizures in drills east of Taiwan

The People's Liberation Army conducted a series of sophisticated combat exercises in the waters east of Taiwan on Tuesday, deploying a potent mix of warships and drones to practice seizing major ports and landing troops from multiple directions.

The People's Liberation Army Eastern Theater Command said the drills involved task forces of amphibious assault ships—large vessels designed to launch helicopters and landing craft—alongside destroyers, frigates, and unmanned aerial vehicles. The maneuvers centered on what the military calls "all-dimensional force projection", a strategy where troops and heavy equipment are moved simultaneously by air, sea, and land to overwhelm an objective from every possible angle.

As part of the operation, specialized "elite forces" practiced high-speed raids intended to breach defensive lines and destroy specific targets quickly. A primary focus of the exercise was the simulated seizure of key ports, a critical step in any potential conflict that would allow a military to secure the docks and harbors necessary to bring in larger follow-up forces and supplies.

Military officials said that the drills were designed to test "systemic operations", essentially a trial of how well different branches of the military, such as naval crews and drone operators, can work together as a single, synchronized machine. The exercise also focused on "precision strikes", which are highly accurate attacks aimed at taking out specific high-value targets while minimizing wasted ammunition.

The location of the drills is significant, as operating in the Pacific waters to the east of Taiwan demonstrates the PLA's growing ability to project power on all sides of the island, moving beyond the narrow strait that separates it from the mainland.