State broadcaster CCTV released a brief video on Monday showing a rapid-response rocket launch in rugged, mountainous terrain, carried out with no advance notice given to the participating troops. South China Morning Post reported that the footage is believed to feature a missile from the Dongfeng stable. The broadcast arrived on the exact day that a major Communist Party meeting focused on discipline and loyalty, known as the fifth plenum, commenced in Beijing.
The Rising Frequency of Unannounced Drills
This unannounced exercise marks the second time this month that state media has published footage of a no-notice drill. Earlier in the month, on October 11, state channels aired footage showing the launch of DF-26 intermediate-range ballistic missiles. Those weapons possess the range to strike the U.S. territory of Guam, a critical installation within the second island chain that sits between China and the wider Pacific.
According to UA.News, the earlier October 11 drill took place during the National Day holiday in southeastern China, a detail pointing toward Fujian province, which stands directly across the strait from Taiwan. That broadcast carried the explicit slogan: “Sharpening blades across multi-domains, safeguarding national reunification.”
Strategic Timing Amid Regional Exercises
The timing of these media releases aligns closely with ongoing geopolitical friction. The October 11 broadcast landed just a day after Taiwan observed its Double Tenth celebrations, during which Taiwan’s leader William Lai Ching-te delivered a speech that Beijing argued escalated cross-strait tensions.
The publicity surrounding these rocket drills coincides with the Keen Sword exercise, a joint military operation conducted by the United States and Japan centred on preparing for a potential crisis involving Taiwan. Beijing views Taiwan as an inalienable part of its territory and has consistently refused to renounce the use of force to achieve reunification, while the U.S. and Japan do not officially recognize the island as independent.
Preparing the Ranks for Major Incidents
Addressing the domestic audience and the military ranks on Sunday, the PLA Daily published an article urging Chinese troops to sharpen their rapid-response capabilities in preparation for major Taiwan independence incidents. This readiness aligns with the statutory triggers outlined under the 2005 Anti-Secession Law, which authorizes non-peaceful means to protect national sovereignty.
“The military must be fully prepared to deal with various complex situations and be able to handle them quickly and effectively if something happens,” the article stated. It added that while the nation strives for peaceful reunification, military personnel must remain prepared for war to issue clear warnings to diehard independence elements and external forces.
