Taiwan braces for tougher mainland China forces, defence minister says after Central Military Commission overhaul

Name: Chinese President Xi Jinping unveils new line-up of country's top decision-making body
Uploaded: 2022-10-24T09:40:06.000Z
Duration: 2 min 36 s
Description: Chinese President Xi Jinping unveils new line-up of country's top decision-making body

Chiu Kuo-cheng tells island lawmakers new CMC has younger members who are more familiar with Taiwan and have combat experience

He says new members come from army, navy and rocket force, with some also having aerospace and technology backgrounds

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Beijing reshuffled its top military leadership on Sunday, with the new make-up indicating that the PLA will have a greater focus on Taiwan, says the island’s defence minister. Photo: AP Photo

Lawrence Chungin Taipei

Published: 5:40pm, 24 Oct 2022Updated: 7:24pm, 24 Oct 2022

Taiwan will have to deal with a tougher and more modernised People’s Liberation Army following the reshuffle of top military leadership in mainland China, the island’s defence minister said on Monday.

Not only were members of Beijing’s newly appointed Central Military Commission younger than previous commissions, but some of them were more familiar with Taiwan and had a tech background and combat experience, Chiu Kuo-cheng said.

“It means the [PLA] will adopt a tougher strategy in dealing with Taiwan in the future,” Chiu said.

He made the comments in response to lawmakers’ queries in a legislature meeting in Taipei on how the mainland’s new CMC would affect combat strategies towards the self-ruled island.

The Chinese Communist Party reshuffled its top military leadership on Sunday, a day after the closing session of its 20th party congress, signalling that the PLA would become more focused on Taiwan in the next five years and beyond.

General He Weidong, 65, who has a wealth of command experience in China’s eastern military districts, was made the CMC’s second-ranked vice-chairman.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping unveils new line-up of country's top decision-making body

Except for CMC chairman President Xi Jinping, 69, and General Zhang Youxia 72, who was promoted to first-ranked vice-chairman, the remaining five commission members are aged between 58 and 67 – younger than members of previous commissions, Chiu said.