‘Hu Says’ What Message PLA Is Sending to United States in Its Taiwan Straits Exercises

Aug. 14, 2020 (EIRNS)—Global Times editor-in-chief Hu Xijin in his succinct, less-than-two-minute video broadcast “Hu Says,” explained that the Aug. 13 People’s Liberation Army exercises in the Taiwan Straits are highly unusual in two ways: First, the PLA carried out maneuvers at both the Straits’ northern and southern ends, demonstrating that the PLA is able of launching a full assault and occupying the island in a matter of hours, before the United States has time to react.

Secondly, for the first time, the PLA has referred to foreign powers’ behavior as a contingent motivation for the exercises. That has never happened before, and the exercise is a clear message that “the mainland will definitely increase military pressure in response to rising U.S.-Taiwan relations,” Hu states, concluding: “In addition, once peaceful means fail, the mainland does not fear a military showdown in the Taiwan Straits.”