DEFENSE/PLA exercises meant to show strength amid military purges: NSB chief

Taipei, April 9 (CNA) China's latest round of military exercises near Taiwan at the beginning of April was intended to show it could organize large-scale drills despite an ongoing military purge, Taiwan's top intelligence chief said Wednesday.
At a legislative hearing, National Security Bureau (NSB) Director-General Tsai Ming-yen (蔡明彥) was asked by lawmakers about the significance of the latest People's Liberation Army (PLA) drills held near Taiwan on April 1 and 2.
Tsai said the NSB believed they were held as a countermeasure to the United States Department of Defense's renewed focus on the Indo-Pacific region with the aim of suppressing China.
That was clear, Tsai said, from the timing of the exercises, which were launched right after U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth concluded a trip to Hawaii, Guam, the Philippines, and Japan in late March.
Aside from targeting Washington, however, the two-day military exercises were also meant for domestic consumption amid recent reports of arrests of high-ranking PLA officials.
Tsai did not name the arrested PLA officials, but media reports say they include Central Military Commission Vice Chairman He Weidong (何衛東) and PLA Eastern Theater Command Commander Lin Xiangyang (林向陽), both of whom were seen as loyal to Chinese leader Xi Jinping (習近平).
The drills were meant to force the PLA to focus on military exercises instead of the ongoing military purge, in which top generals were arrested amid a power struggle and/or corruption allegations, according to Tsai.
Also, the drills showed the world that China was capable of launching large-scale exercises despite the ongoing purge, he said.

At the hearing, ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmaker Lee Kuen-cheng (李坤城) also asked Tsai about the nature of the drills and why they did not have a name before they began.
Tsai described the two-day PLA exercises as a series of routine small-scale drills combined into one joint exercise. He acknowledged that it was "quite rare" to see Beijing name its military exercises not on their first day but on their second day.
The PLA's Eastern Theater Command announced on April 1 the beginning of joint exercises around Taiwan, as "a stern warning" to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces.
The next morning, the command, which has jurisdiction over the East China Sea and Taiwan Strait, further announced that it was conducting a "Strait Thunder-2025A" drill in parts of the Taiwan Strait before announcing the conclusion of the two-day joint combat exercises hours later.
Related News
April 9: PRC security threat, Taiwan Strait peace, highlighted in Japan report
April 5: 2025 Han Kuang drills targeting China's 'gray zone' actions, invasion threat: Experts
April 3: Scholars note China coast guard's deeper involvement in Taiwan drills
ANALYSIS/PLA propaganda aimed at Chinese people, little impact in Taiwan: Experts
- Taiwan to stream Abrams live-fire training in Hsinchu ThursdayTaiwan's military is set to live-stream a round of live-fire training sessions on Thursday featuring its newly delivered M1A2T Abrams tanks, allowing the public to witness the training results firsthand, according to the Ministry of National Defense (MND).07/07/2025 04:21 PM
- Newly acquired HIMARS, missiles, drones to be tested during Han KuangRockets, missile systems and drones newly acquired by Taiwan's military will be put to the test during this year's live-fire portion of annual Han Kuang exercises, which run from Wednesday until July 18.07/07/2025 03:45 PM
- Taiwan holds ceremony at Hualien Air Base to mark retirement of F-5sA ceremony was held Friday at Hualien Air Base to mark the official retirement of the Air Force's F-5 series jets after more than 50 years of patrolling Taiwan's skies.07/04/2025 04:24 PM
- Society
Agricultural losses from Typhoon Danas at least NT$250 million
07/07/2025 06:31 PM - Business
Taiwan-U.S. tariff talks still ongoing: Economics minister
07/07/2025 06:14 PM - Society
Taiwan lifts sea warning for Tropical Storm Danas, warns heavy rain
07/07/2025 05:55 PM - Society
Domestic Taiwanese flights resume following Danas disruption
07/07/2025 05:43 PM - Business
Taiwan shares end down before U.S. 'reciprocal tariffs' finalized
07/07/2025 04:55 PM