On the 23rd, Chinese state media released two consecutive reports announcing that the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) conducted joint training exercises in the Taiwan Strait, and around the northern, southern, and eastern parts of Taiwan Island as well as around Kinmen, Matsu, Wuqiu, and Dongyin islands; and carried out the "Joint Sword-2024A" exercise around Taiwan Island. On the 24th, the Eastern Theater Command issued another statement: continuing to conduct the "Joint Sword-2024A" exercise around Taiwan Island.

Why did the PLA conduct training exercises and drills at this time? What considerations informed the choice of areas? Chinese military experts interviewed said that this training and these drills carry three layers of deep significance and send an important signal: playing with fire will only burn oneself, and "Taiwan independence" can only lead to a dead end.

　　A New Normal of "Counter-Salami Slicing"

Shortly after the so-called "inaugural address" of the leader of the Taiwan region, the PLA organized and carried out the relevant training exercises and drills. Military expert Zhang Chi believes that Lai Ching-te's "May 20" speech was a thoroughgoing "Taiwan independence confession," showing that the DPP authorities are moving further and further down the dangerous path of "Taiwan independence." The PLA's organization of the relevant training exercises and drills targets the collusion and provocation between "Taiwan independence" separatist forces and external forces. "We have the confidence and capability to safeguard national sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity."

In recent years, external forces and the Taiwan authorities have repeatedly challenged the red lines and bottom lines of the Chinese mainland in a "salami-slicing" manner. In response, in April last year the PLA Eastern Theater Command conducted combat readiness patrols around Taiwan Island and the "Joint Sword" exercise; in August of the same year, the Eastern Theater Command organized joint air-sea combat readiness patrols and joint training exercises around Taiwan Island. After Lai Ching-te's "May 20" speech this time, the PLA once again carried out training exercises and drills.

Zhang Chi pointed out that the PLA's countermeasures send a clear signal: every time the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces provoke, the PLA will advance one step—this is a new normal of "counter-salami slicing."

Compared with the PLA's previous countermeasures, Zheng Hong of the Naval Research Institute further analyzed that "this time the scale is larger, the flavor of real combat is stronger, and more areas are involved."

　　New Breakthroughs in Exercise Areas

According to official information, the areas where the PLA conducted this joint training exercise are located in the Taiwan Strait and around the northern, southern, and eastern parts of Taiwan Island as well as around Kinmen, Matsu, Wuqiu, and Dongyin islands. On the 23rd, the Eastern Theater Command also published a schematic map of the "Joint Sword-2024A" exercise areas.

"Looking at this schematic map, joint strike drills carried out in the sea and airspace of three directions are each of important significance." Zhang Chi analyzed and pointed out that conducting drills in the northern part of Taiwan Island not only deters important political and military targets in northern Taiwan but also delivers a "warning" to the DPP authorities.

Tainan is the stronghold of "Taiwan independence" forces, and Taiwan's largest port and an important base of the Taiwan "navy" are also located in this area. Zhang Chi pointed out that the PLA's drills in the southern part of Taiwan Island deal a political blow to the "Taiwan independence" stronghold, impose an economic blockade on Taiwan Island, and militarily demonstrate the ability to firmly trap the Taiwan "navy" in port—a powerful deterrent to the "Taiwan independence" forces' fantasy of "seeking independence by force."

The expert also said that drills in the eastern part of Taiwan Island demonstrate the PLA's ability to cut off Taiwan's "lifeline" of energy imports, the "escape route" for "Taiwan independence" forces fleeing outward, and the "support line" through which external forces provide assistance to "Taiwan independence" forces.

Compared with previous countermeasures, this training exercise and drills also made new breakthroughs in the selection of areas. Meng Xiangqing, a professor at the National Defense University, said, "This exercise also involves Taiwan's outlying islands. Wuqiu and Dongyin were less involved in the past. This time, Coast Guard vessels entered the so-called 'restricted waters' of Wuqiu and Dongyin for the first time, thoroughly dismantling the DPP authorities' cognitive narrative about so-called 'prohibited and restricted waters.'"

　　A Creative New Practice

According to Li Xi, spokesperson for the Eastern Theater Command, forces from the theater's army, navy, air force, and rocket force all participated in the "Joint Sword-2024A" exercise, focusing on drills in subjects such as joint air-sea combat readiness patrols, joint seizure of comprehensive battlefield control, and joint precision strikes on key targets.

Experts believe that seizing comprehensive control of Taiwan Island is a major highlight of this exercise. "In this exercise, the PLA's army, navy, air force, and rocket force were deeply integrated and closely coordinated. In particular, new-domain and new-quality forces also joined in—for example, space-based support, cyber-electromagnetic support, and information support all played important roles, driving the seizure of air superiority, sea superiority, and information superiority, and demonstrating the PLA's powerful joint combat system for winning," Meng Xiangqing said.

Zhang Chi pointed out that, whether in terms of the delineation of exercise areas or the setting of subject content, the PLA this time focused on drilling a new model of blockading Taiwan Island—a creative exploration and practice.

"From points to lines and then to areas, this training exercise and these drills send an important signal: playing with fire will only burn oneself, and 'Taiwan independence' can only lead to a dead end," Zheng Hong said.