Taipei, Jan. 19 (CNA) China is developing an aircraft carrier battle group, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said Thursday.
The ministry unveiled 20 satellite photos to back up its claim and expose China's military deployment posture.
Pointing at a satellite photo, MND spokesman Liu Chih-chien said the Vayag, an aircraft carrier China bought from Ukraine, has been under repair at a dock in Dalian, Liaoning. "Although China claimed that the Vayag will be used as a tourist attraction, the aircraft carrier would actually be used as a training ship in preparation for building up an aircraft carrier battle group," Liu said.
Once its aircraft carrier battle group takes shape, Liu said, China will be able to launch offshore attack on Taiwan's eastern part.
Liu also unveiled satellite photos showing military installations on a small outlying islet off the southern Chinese province of Guangdong, including an aircraft hangar, runways, fuel tanks, F-16 drones and an emergency room. "The photos showed that the aircraft hangar, F-16 drones, runways and a neighboring fuel depot were all destroyed while another depot and the emergency room remained intact, " Liu said, adding that the photos indicated that China troops had conducted training drills at the site to practice combat skills and tactics for attacking Taiwan. The F-16 drones and other installations were apparent simulations of Taiwan's equipment, he added.
The remaining photos featured China's missile deployments in Jiangxi's Leping and Ganzhou as well as Fujian's Yungan bases and a cruise missile base in Guangxi province.
(By Sofia Wu)
The ministry unveiled 20 satellite photos to back up its claim and expose China's military deployment posture.
Pointing at a satellite photo, MND spokesman Liu Chih-chien said the Vayag, an aircraft carrier China bought from Ukraine, has been under repair at a dock in Dalian, Liaoning. "Although China claimed that the Vayag will be used as a tourist attraction, the aircraft carrier would actually be used as a training ship in preparation for building up an aircraft carrier battle group," Liu said.
Once its aircraft carrier battle group takes shape, Liu said, China will be able to launch offshore attack on Taiwan's eastern part.
Liu also unveiled satellite photos showing military installations on a small outlying islet off the southern Chinese province of Guangdong, including an aircraft hangar, runways, fuel tanks, F-16 drones and an emergency room. "The photos showed that the aircraft hangar, F-16 drones, runways and a neighboring fuel depot were all destroyed while another depot and the emergency room remained intact, " Liu said, adding that the photos indicated that China troops had conducted training drills at the site to practice combat skills and tactics for attacking Taiwan. The F-16 drones and other installations were apparent simulations of Taiwan's equipment, he added.
The remaining photos featured China's missile deployments in Jiangxi's Leping and Ganzhou as well as Fujian's Yungan bases and a cruise missile base in Guangxi province.
(By Sofia Wu)