But the PLA has been stepping up its activities in the east, regularly sending planes into the island’s eastern and southeastern air defence identification zones and more warships and submarines into the waters off the east coast.
In April, Taiwanese Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng confirmed that the PLA had deployed its Shandong aircraft carrier in waters about 200 nautical miles (370km) east of Taiwan in a three-day mega drill that followed President Tsai Ing-wen’s meeting with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California.
Beijing, which claims the island as part of its own territory, regarded the meeting as a major breach of its sovereignty.
The PLA’s increased presence off Taiwan’s east coast has raised doubts about the defensive plan, given that the eastern side of the island is within range of PLA forces in the western Pacific.
“The dispatch of air sorties and deployment of the Shandong for training off our east coast means that the PLA will soon have the ability to attack us in our rear,” a retired commander of the defence force based in eastern Taiwan said.
The officer, who declined to be named, said the PLA was expected to build up its forces close to eastern Taiwan in the event of a full-scale attack.
“If the runways of our Chiashan and Chihhang bases are destroyed, what’s the point of sheltering our warplanes there as they won’t be able to take off without the runways?” the officer said.
He said warships sheltering at ports in Hualien and Taitung were at even greater risk of attack from the western Pacific.
“So, if we are not able to largely expand our combat power in eastern Taiwan, including strengthening our anti-missile, anti-air and ship capabilities, sheltering … at the underground bases and ports in the east coast could in no way preserve our forces there,” he said.
