China has released a new documentary about the army’s preparation to attack Taiwan and showcasing soldiers pledging to give up their lives if needed as Beijing continues to ramp up its rhetoric against the self-ruled island.
“Chasing Dreams,” an eight-part docuseries aired by state broadcaster CCTV earlier this week to mark the People Liberation Army’s 96th anniversary, features military drills and testimonials by dozens of soldiers, of which several express their willingness to die in a potential attack against Taiwan.
China claims Taiwan, a self-ruled democracy, as its own territory, to be conquered by force if necessary.
State media and the PLA frequently release propaganda materials promoting the army’s modernization as well as sleek videos of military drills.
The materials serve to fan rising Chinese nationalism and display military confidence against Taiwan and, implicitly, its ties with the United States. While the U.S. doesn’t recognize Taiwan as a sovereign country, it has pledged to help the island defend itself in case of an invasion.
Last month, the White House announced a $345 million military aid package for Taiwan. The move, which experts said drew on lessons from the U.S. military assistance to Ukraine, was criticized by Beijing.
The “Chasing Dreams” documentary showcased, among other things, the PLA’s “Joint Sword” drills, which simulated precision strikes against Taiwan. The exercises were undertaken around the self-governed island in April after a visit by Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen to the U.S.
Among the more dramatic parts of the program are pledges by PLA soldiers from various divisions to relinquish life in a potential attack on Taiwan.
“If war broke out and the conditions were too difficult to safely remove the naval mines in actual combat, we would use our own bodies to clear a safe pathway for our (landing) forces,” Zuo Feng, a frogman with the PLA Navy’s minesweeper unit, said in a testimonial.
Li Peng, a pilot from Wang Hai Squadron under the PLA Air Force, echoed his statement, saying his “fighter jet would be the last missile rushing towards the enemy if in a real battle, I had used up all my ammunition.”
Fan Lizhong, a special tactics unit commander, said in the docuseries that while losing comrades is painful, he has to remain calm to respond to emergencies and always be ready to fight.
The documentary also features Shandong, one of China’s three aircraft carriers, sailing in formation with several other warships.
The PLA has repeatedly dispatched Shandong to the Taiwan Strait over the past few months as a threat to Taiwan. PLA jets have also crossed the strait’s median line, an informal demarcation zone between China and Taiwan, relatively often over the past couple of years, especially in reaction to exchanges between Taiwan and the U.S. that have angered Beijing.
AP researcher Henry Hou in Beijing contributed to this report.
© Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
40 Comments
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TaiwanIsNotChina
That's great they will be
falseflagsteve
What an immature and regressive thing to do. Mind you they are ghastly and think looking tough is better than showing humanity. A truly terrible regime that seems to be getting worse.
EFD
So they think.
The Russians thought Ukraine was going to be a 3-day jaunt.
How’s that going for them? And unlike Ukraine, it wouldn’t just be Ukraine.
Careful of the embers you blow on, Xi.
You might not like which way the wind blows when the flames catch.
stormcrow
How educational!
The Chinese are almost as bad as the Russians.
餓死鬼
Ah yes, good old march of the volunteers.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Lots of people talk tough but when it comes down to giving your life for Xi's glory, maybe not so much.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Time to navigate the straits again in force.
Algernon LaCroix
Things must be getting rough on the home front, with a wavering economy and rampant corruption, so Xi orders some distraction propaganda for the masses.
He seems to want the capture of Taiwan to be a legacy of his rule, but knows an invasion of Taiwan would be a bloodbath for his forces. So he has to weigh up whether doing so would put the CCP's grip on power in real jeopardy in the wake of throwing lives away for his personal glory. A true dilemma for someone who is likely a genuine psychopath
Bordeaux
The CCP is so out of touch that they need to make fictional movies to support reality. The truth is the ChInese economy is declining. Their ally in Russia is losing a supposedly "3-day" war. By association, it makes them look bad and weak as well. The US has been sending ships around areas illegally claimed as their own, and China has done nothing but complain. They were ran off by 4 destroyers and air support off the cost of Alaska last week.
Like Russia, NK, and the US under Trump; the unemployment rate for young adults is at an all time high. The only reason that the Chinese population allows the CCP to continue was because of the promises.
The propaganda to rev-up nationalism is only to distract the masses from all the divestment happening and poor economic numbers.
TokyoLiving
Let's go China, to the victory!!..
TokyoLiving
Anti-China brigade of whiners, moaning in 3..2..1..
LOOOOOL!!...
Coulda been
Be careful what you wish for Mr Frogman and Mr Fighter Pilot.
THOMAS R MOUNTCASTLE
I live on the beautiful island of Taiwan. We are well prepared for the defense of our land and the destruction of the enemy. ( USA 04 retired.)
UChosePoorly
A free people will not be conquered by an army of slaves.
quercetum
It’ll be a naval warfare and Desert Tortoise will tell you the U.S. is at a disadvantage being away. It would be the same if China had to fight off the coast of California.
You all have mentioned in the past about his difficult it’ll be to land on the island of Taiwan and how only a few months of the year have the right conditions. We are not trying to save Private Ryan here.
It’s amusing it’s 2023 and American here are still talking about D-Day style beach landings as if it were still 1944. Taiwan is not Normandy, and it is not 1944.
It is highly unlikely that China is planning beach landings because the Taiwan straits are 80 - 100 kilometers across and PRC ships would be targeted with anti-ship missiles leading to heavy (and unnecessary) casualties. We’re there Anti-ship missiles in 1944?
Military action would likely start with an air and sea blockade of Taiwan. We saw this after Pelosi’s visit. China uses leverage and will go for the win in the 15th round. China is not Mike Tyson going for a knockout punch but more __ (fill in appropriate boxer name) with stamina. This would disrupt and bring Taiwan’s economy to a halt, and the Taiwanese would have an internal discussion about whether they want to fight or talk.
The US and Japan would decide what action they would want to take to break a Chinese blockade. Would they take military action, or just resort to sanctions against China? How would they protect their supply lines across the Pacific? It’ll most likely be sanctions.
If war broke out, it would most likely involve missiles against land and sea targets. First in Taiwan and mainland China, then against US bases in Japan, South Korea and Philippines.
If China wins, the landings will only take place after China has won and Taiwan surrenders. The attack is just TV drama.
Bordeaux
Very big "if"
You forget the 'competence factor.' The same reason that Ukraine has defeated an initial 3-day jaunt from Russia, that a small group of US special forces defeated an entire Wagner army iin Syria, and India has been spanking China with their border dispute skirmishes.
China would not be able to handle any type of assault with missiles on mainland China. The structures will fall like a house cards from the faulty construction or go up in flames from the other health risks.
The US marines has been preparing:
US Marines gearing up to defend 'key' terrain near China are about to get a first-of-its-kind ship-hunting missile
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/us-marines-gearing-up-to-defend-key-terrain-near-china-are-about-to-get-a-first-of-its-kind-ship-hunting-missile/ar-AA1eRHSB
Haaa Nemui
And here people complain about western propaganda.
quercetum
I get your point but I am thinking it will be an embargo / blockade and then talks. It is unlikely there will be any defending of terrain because they will just sit on the embargo or go to missiles warfare. The landing will be after everything is over.
UChosePoorly
Quercetum - so you are thinking China will try and starve Taiwan into submission?
Gaijinjland
A fighter jet kamikaze… they sound like japan in the 1930’s. Scary.
Haaa Nemui
How many “comrades” has he actually lost already? If he would answer none, then he might not realize how hard it is to remain calm under such circumstances.
quercetum
That is what the US did for 20 years on China and it definiitely made the country poorer. There is no argument against the effectiveness of an embargo. The question is breaking the blockade and not landing on the West side of the island.
That said, no, it is not a miedval castle siege. It is conquering by attrition and to weaken and disrupt the economy, not to starve its own people.
I don't see a Normandy landing or a Doolittle air raid fire bombing Taipei like it was Tokyo 1942. They want to straighten out the DPP not to destroy Taiwan.
UChosePoorly
I was talking about China trying to starve the Taiwanese.
deanzaZZR
Good. The country needs to be mentally ready for sacrifice if/when Taiwan declares independence.
TaiwanIsNotChina
You are saying there will be a blockade and then saying the US won't be ready. Kind of contradictory, no? The thing about ships is they move.
Well at least you acknowledge that your shock and awe won't be a shock and awe.
The blockade only has to be broken once in the, what? months the blockade will take? The thing about democracies is they get hopping mad when you try to enslave their people. I suspect China's modified fishing boats will not like the pummeling they receive and they have to maintain at least 270 degrees of blockade of the sea and the air. They can't all swarm to an attack.
For the US there is no question: you've seen our gaff machine president tell you what will happen, and guess what? Only his vote matters. Once a single missile lands on Okinawa, you will also see Japan joining militarily.
So you've admitted that they all will be in the war. Great to hear!
By the time China "wins", the semiconductor factories will be gone, large numbers of PLA and PLN soldiers will be gone, and permanent sanctions will be in place from the US, Japan, Australia, and probably the EU. And that's IF China avoids a MAD scenario. Really the definition of a Pyrrhic victory.
TaiwanIsNotChina
That's great to have dreams and all, but is China not going to respond when missiles and aircraft come out of Taiwan? Maybe Taiwan will destroy the semiconductor factories out of spite or the US will destroy them. You never know. In any event, China will have no more trading partners, so it might not matter that they don't have more semiconductors.
quercetum
That's what I mean they are not going to try and start the Taiwanese, their own people. It's Washington (Beijing) vs a US State and Beijing versus a province of China (ROC or PRC.) That is the view.
I am not sure if the US intended to starve the Chinese in the 20 year embargo against China though millions ended up dying through famine and failed CCP policies. The intention was to break down the state. So surrounding the island of Taiwan post Pelosi's visit is a clue to how the CCP plans on disrupting and making it an economic war.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Oh and the DPP will have never have been more popular until after China does a stunt. Remember, only a third of Taiwan want even the name China associated with them. That percentage will likely drop.
Reginald Bok
Amazing that you're allowed to post such rubbish.
餓死鬼
Are you a volunteer too? Will you also be 冒着敌人的炮火，前进ing like the frogman and pilot up there?
Haaa Nemui
“Chasing Dreams”. It’s the name of the documentary. They’re fantasizing about invading Taiwan.
deanzaZZR
It's not nice to talk about 台灣是中國 like that.
Reginald Bok
No @deanzaZZR
Taiwan is not China isn't posting rubbish.
starpunk
Meyh-meyh-meyh. Meyh-meyh-meyh. Meyh-meyh-meyh. Ninny boy Xi is getting about as KimmyBoy of NK. But this is a Communist regime we're talking about here and totalitarian media always pushes out propagandic rubbish like this.
The economy sucks, we still have CoVid to deal with and the US has a President who kisses no fanny. He may be the oldest POTUS but he's not dumb and he kowtows to no one like TrashTrump did. And neither did the previously oldest POTUS, Ronald Reagan.
The CCP can't handle the problems going on in their own nation so they're pushing this jive in order to divert attention from it all. May I remind them, when things got sticky in Argentina the fascist New Organization Government pulled that same stunt by invading the Falkland Islands in 1982. Their defeat led to the fall of the regime.
China had better think hard and think twice about Taiwan. Russia thought taking Ukraine would be a breeze like Kazakhstan too. Guess again.
opheliajadefeldt
Any type of bombing/missile attack on China would leave that country in ruins. For decades building developers have been been using shoddy materials for construction, ie. hollow bricks, hollow concrete blocks and pillars, under weight and useless Rebars, no drainage systems...etc.... even the Fire Hydrants are not real ones, they are not connected to anything. Every thing they do is governed by corruption and how much they can screw out of the people. In the event of any war, I would bet that a good majority of their weapons and armaments, like aircraft, ships, missiles are just as shoddily built and therefore useless. And they may have millions in their army but a lot of the equipment meant for them has been purloined by the generals etc......and sold off, very much like what happened to the Russian army. I would hazard a guess that those higher ups in the CCP know this full well, so playing wars games is about their limits right now.
deanzaZZR
@opheliajadefeldt lol. Any kind of missile attack on China from the United States puts us on the doorstep of Armageddon. Peace out.
Jasper Cole
It seems that China is attempting to intimidate Taiwan. However, China may have learned from the recent conflict between Russia and Ukraine that occupying a country is not a simple task.
quercetum
Yes, commonly known as tofu dreg construction. These are the corrupt construction companies who have no conscience for the safety of those who would be living in these poorly constructed buildings.
Sven Asai
No, that’s in contrary a good sign, because dogs who bark won’t bite. In my youth I have seen a lot of similar propaganda footage against NATO,, the West, the neighborhood country, in the country where I came from. I can tell you the proven results, neither that country nor its big army still exist anymore.