Three trends

Zhang Chi, a professor at the PLA National Defense University, said the PLA's exercises have shown three major trends.

"The first is that the range of our deterrence against 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces is getting larger, the tools are becoming more diverse, and the distance is getting closer," he said, adding that the pressure on the island's Democratic Progressive Party authorities' "defensive space" has also intensified.

The second trend, Zhang said, is the flexible and dynamic adjustment of timing and operational space, allowing drills to "be launched suddenly to achieve a surprise effect".

He cited the Joint Sword-2024B drill in October 2024, saying it began abruptly at 5 am without prior notice and ended suddenly at 6 pm the same day. "It can be described as a quick strike and quick withdrawal, and our exercises can shift from training to combat at any time," he said.

The third trend, Zhang said, is that military operations have become richer in form, including combat readiness patrols at sea and in the air, blockading key areas and routes, seizing comprehensive control, joint firepower strikes and simulated precision attacks on key targets.

He said the PLA has developed an active posture of "countering salami-slicing tactics" in response to separatists and external interference that challenge China in incremental ways.

"The DPP authorities can only respond in panic, with no real ability to parry," Zhang said.

Unchanged approach

Despite evolving trends across the seven major actions, some core training elements have remained consistent, especially the joint sea-air blockade, the former researcher said.

He said this involves blockading major ports on the island, such as Keelung and Kaohsiung, in order to cut off external channels for supplies and energy.

Such operations, Zhang stressed, are also aimed at preventing separatist forces from fleeing and blocking routes that could be used by external forces to provide support.

He said that every large-scale action has also underscored the mainland's determination to safeguard sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as its resolve to counter separatism and external interference, while demonstrating strong capability.