PLA mouthpiece hails rocket force after it fired missiles over Taiwan
- Chinese military’s official newspaper highlights key role of rocket force in safeguarding national security and declares it is combat ready
- It follows days of sabre-rattling including ballistic missile tests in the wake of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to the island
In an opinion piece splashed across its front page on Monday, PLA Daily described it as the “core force” in strategic deterrence as well as the “strategic support” for China’s status as a major power.
It said the rocket force had a combat system with diverse strike and strong anti-interference capabilities and that it could inflict major damage.
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It said given the huge security risks and challenges facing China, the rocket force could be required to play a decisive role at a critical moment. PLA Daily also said it had larger, more powerful and faster missiles than before, and declared that the rocket force was combat ready.
The opinion piece was published after the PLA launched 11 Dongfeng ballistic missiles into waters to the north, south and east of Taiwan on Thursday, according to the island’s defence ministry. It was the first time the PLA has fired missiles over Taiwan.
