By Micah McCartneyShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberNew satellite imagery shows China testing its landing barges, which analysts say appear tailor-made for an invasion of Taiwan.
Why It Matters
China’s navy is now the world’s largest by hull count, boasting more than 370 warships and submarines.
Among these new vessels are landing docks, more advanced amphibious assault ships, and specialized landing barges analysts have dubbed Shui Qiao, or "water bridges," that appear purpose-built for a potential beach landing in an attack on Taiwan.
China claims the self-ruled island as its territory and has vowed to bring it into the fold, through force if necessary. Beijing's forces have in recent years ratcheted up pressure through large-scale military drills and near-daily air sorties across the median line of the Taiwan Strait.
Newsweek reached out to the Chinese Defense Ministry via email for comment outside of office hours.
What To Know
Satellite imagery shared by open-source analyst Brady Africk on X showed three of China’s so-called Shui Qiang landing barges off the coast of Ningbo in Zhejiang province on November 20.
A separate photo captured by European Space Agency satellites and reviewed by Newsweek shows three barges linked together.
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Each barge is equipped with a 400-foot deployable roadway that extends from the bow. With multiple vessels connected, the trucks and tanks can be transferred from incoming ships and directly onto coastal roads on the far side of a beach.
Experts note that the Shui Qiao would be easy targets, however, and would require substantial air and naval cover to operate effectively in a real assault.
Taiwan, meanwhile, has been stepping up its defenses, including the deployment of HIMARS missile systems, indigenous missiles, and naval vessels, as well as increasing defense spending and extending compulsory military service to 1 year from 4 months.
...What People Are Saying
Bryce Barros, a security analyst and associate fellow at the think tank GLOBSEC, previously told Newsweek:“Everything about whether or not they can be used effectively depends on China having full control of the waters and skies around Taiwan. They’re very slow; they’re very large; and they’re huge targets. That means they’d need strong air defense, counter-drone systems, and protection against unmanned surface and underwater vehicles.”
What Happens Next
U.S. officials believe Xi has ordered the Chinese military to be capable of taking Taiwan by 2027, though they emphasize this does not mean he has decided when or whether to launch an attack.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Taiwan President Lai announced plans to further increase defense spending with a “special” military budget of $40 billion, citing China’s “speeding up military preparations to take Taiwan by force.”
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