Taiwan anti-ship missiles on Taichung islands to retaliate Chinese attack

Taipei/Beijing – As China has repeatedly threatened to launch an attack on Taiwan, Taiwan has stepped up its preparations for retaliation. The Taiwanese navy says that new anti-ship missiles have been deployed at Taichung base, a key defensive base in Taiwan. A few days ago, a US study group warned that China’s People’s Liberation Army would launch its first attack on the port of Taichung in the war against Taiwan. Against this background, this deployment is considered important.

Taiwan‘s UDN website has announced the deployment of new missiles. According to that announcement, ‘Hsiung Feng 3’ missiles have been deployed at the naval base at Taichung. The Hsiung Feng 3 is a medium-range supersonic missile with a range of about 400 kilometres. According to Taiwanese sources, the missile range can be extended up to one and a half thousand kilometres.

These missiles can also be deployed on warships. Taiwan has reportedly previously deployed missiles on some destroyers as well as gunboats. Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen has ordered an increase in the production of these indigenous missiles. Ing-Wen said the order was given to increase the security of Taiwan’s maritime borders. There are signs that the deployment at Taichung will be followed by the deployment of Sea Sword 2, an air defence missile, on six Taiwanese destroyers.

A few days ago, the US study group Project 2049 published a report titled ‘Hostile Harbours: Taiwan’s Ports and PLA Invasion Plans’. It warned that China would target key ports in the war against Taiwan. The port of Taichung is the second largest port in Taiwan and could be a strategic location for the ‘amphibious warfare’ planned by China’s defence forces, the report said. Along with Taichung, the ports of Kaohsiung and Anping could also be the primary targets for Chinese attacks, the US study group said.

Last month, Communist Party Supremo and Chinese President Xi Jinping issued a stern warning regarding Taiwan’s merger. Jinping had warned that the Chinese communist regime would never give up on the issue of Taiwan. Before Jinping’s warning, China had deployed 150 stealth fighter jets in the East China Sea, including the Taiwan Strait. Chinese defence forces have also stepped up operations in Taiwan’s territory, with warships, submarines and fighter jets intruding. It has also come to light that China has conducted military exercises in the South China Sea as a dress rehearsal for the invasion of Taiwan.