The Chinese military posted a video montage of its forces conducting live fire drills and training for war ahead of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) reported visit to Taiwan.
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command shared the war drills video on the Chinese-language social media app WeChat on Monday.
The Chinese military video features clips of warships, attack helicopters and fighter jets in action. The video also features hundreds of infantry troops taking part in beach landing drills.
Chinese military forces could also be seen in the video launching ballistic and cruise missiles and conducting airstrikes with fighter jets.
The Chinese military video included the caption “Fighting for orders. Bury all the enemies. Towards the Alliance Victory.”
The video provides a show of Chinese military force as reports continue to circulate that Pelosi will visit Taiwan in August.
While Taiwan governs itself as a de facto independent nation, mainland China considers the island a part of its territory. Chinese officials have repeatedly insisted on “reunification” with Taiwan, including through military force.
Chinese officials have called Pelosi’s reported Taiwan visit plans a violation of Chinese sovereignty. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lijian Zhao threatened that China would respond with “strong and resolute measures” if Pelosi goes through with the travel plans and said “the U.S. must assume full responsibility for any ensuing consequences.”
On Friday, a Chinese military account on the Chinese social media app Weibo posted the statement, “Preparing for war!”
Hu Xijin, a commentator and former editor-in-chief of the Chinese state-run Global Times, also called for shooting down Pelosi’s plane.
“If US fighter jets escort Pelosi’s plane into Taiwan, it is invasion,” Xijin tweeted. “The PLA has the right to forcibly dispel Pelosi’s plane and the US fighter jets, including firing warning shots and making tactical movement of obstruction. If ineffective, then shoot them down.”
The Chinese military’s latest video did not directly reference Pelosi’s potential Taiwan visit, but the two events do appear to coincide.
The video also comes on the 95th anniversary of the PLA’s establishment on Aug. 1, 1927.
During a press conference on Monday, Zhao reiterated warnings for Pelosi to avoid traveling to Taiwan but made no specific mention of the 95th anniversary of the start of the modern Chinese military.
Zhao was asked about the publicly available itinerary for Pelosi’s upcoming tour of Asia, which does not specifically reference a visit to Taiwan. He said, “We are closely following the itinerary of Speaker Pelosi. A visit to Taiwan by her would constitute a gross interference in China’s internal affairs, seriously undermine China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, wantonly trample on the one-China principle, greatly threaten peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, severely undermine China-US relations and lead to a very serious situation and grave consequences.”
“We want to once again make it clear to the US side that the Chinese side is fully prepared for any eventuality and that the People’s Liberation Army of China will never sit idly by, and we will make resolute response and take strong countermeasures to uphold China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Zhao added, briefly referencing the Chinese military.
