Jakarta, CNCB Indonesia – The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China reportedly shot a target during a training exercise in the South China Sea Paracel Islands (LCS) chain in August 2020.
Wang Xiangsui, a retired People’s Liberation Army (PLA) officer, has told SCMP that one DF-26B medium-range ballistic missile (IRBM) and one DF-21D intermediate-range ballistic missile (MRBM) hit the target ship while sailing near the Paracel Island chain during a drill in August.
“We launched the DF-21 and DF-26, and the missiles hit ships sailing south of the Paracel Islands,” said Wang.
It did not specify the target ship, what type, how fast it might move, or how the PLA might signal their target missile.
After the exercise, a US military attaché in Geneva complained and said “it will have dire consequences if a missile hits the American aircraft carrier. They see this as a show of force. But we will do this because of their provocation.”
In addition, the Pentagon also commented on the Chinese action. Next report from Reuters said that the US government had assessed that China had fired a total of four ballistic missiles.
“The Ministry of Defense is concerned about the People’s Republic of China (PRC) ‘s recent decision to carry out military exercises, including the firing of ballistic missiles, around the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea on Aug 23-29,” the Pentagon said in a statement on Aug. 27. “China’s actions, including missile tests, further destabilize the situation in the South China Sea.”
Tensions in the SCS returned to heating up after several provocative actions carried out by both Beijing and Washington by mobilizing their combat fleets and reconnaissance aircraft. Although the US itself has chosen Joe Biden as president to replace Donald Trump, analysts predict that tensions in the sea that are rich in oil and gas products will not subside, maybe even more heated.
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