The air force and naval aviation corps of the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) fly warplanes to conduct operations around the Taiwan Island, Aug. 4, 2022. The Eastern Theater Command on Thursday conducted joint combat exercises and training around the Taiwan Island on an unprecedented scale. Photo:Xinhua

The large-scale military drills surrounding the island of Taiwan by the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) in response to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's recent provocative visit to the island has entered their third day on Saturday, with the exercises focusing on enhancing the troops' land attack and sea assault capabilities with joint air and naval operations.

These missions would clear paths for amphibious landing forces to launch beach assaults should a reunification-by-force operation take place, analysts said.

The PLA Eastern Theater Command on Saturday proceeded with the plan and conducted realistic combat-scenario joint exercises in sea and air space to the north, southwest and east of the island of Taiwan, focusing on testing the troops' land attack and sea assault capabilities under systemic support, the PLA Eastern Theater Command said in a press release on the day.

Naval forces of the PLA Eastern Theater Command deployed warships, warplanes and coast-based anti-ship missiles for the Saturday drills, China Central Television (CCTV) reported.

During the drills, a destroyer operating in waters north of Taiwan island conducted long-range fire strike simulations under the target guidance provided by early warning aircraft. 

In waters to east of the island, a frigate operating approached the coastline at high speed, assuming advantageous positions and conducting mock anti-ship attacks, comprehensive offense and defense as well as joint anti-submarine warfare practices.

A Kang Ding-class frigate from Taiwan, as well as Taiwan island's coastline and buildings, could be seen in video footage taken on a PLA vessel, as shown in a CCTV report.

Several fighter jets belonging to the naval aviation force sortied from an airfield in East China's Zhejiang Province, after which they entered formation, arrived at the designated area and conducted coordinated offense with the warships.

In the coastal regions of South China's Guangdong Province, a coast-based anti-ship missile regiment of the Navy mobilized to a designated area and conducted target tracking and mock strike according to targeting data provided by the command center.

Under the centralized command of the PLA Eastern Theater Command's joint combat command center, Navy forces also conducted exercises including joint reconnaissance, early warning and joint fire strikes together with their counterparts from the Air Force, boosting the interoperability supported by a joint operational system, CCTV reported.

Following Friday's drills, which simulated securing air superiority and control of the sea, Saturday's exercise continued in winning control of sea and air, and trained more courses on land attack. These steps will secure paths and minimalize coastal resistance for the following amphibious landing forces, a Chinese mainland military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Saturday.

Amphibious landing is one of the most challenging missions that could result in huge casualties if the landing forces are attacked in their paths and during beach assaults, and that is probably why the PLA aims to neutralize as many threats as possible with long-range artillery, missiles, combined with naval and air strikes first, the expert said.

The drills, which started on Thursday noon, are scheduled to conclude on Sunday noon, but experts said similar operations could become routine if "Taiwan independence" secessionists and external interference forces continue the provocation.