Want China Times
Date: 2015-07-24
By: CNA

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has made more physical mock-ups of strategic targets in

A building similar to Taiwan’s Presidential Office appears on a CCTV broadcast, July 23. (Photo captured from China state broadcaster CCTV)

Taiwan for simulated attacks since 2014, which suggests Beijing has stepped up its “preparations for a military struggle” with Taiwan, an expert on the Chinese military said Friday.

China has increased the preparations because the Beijing government is concerned about “potentially drastic changes in Taiwan’s political situation” after a presidential election in January 2016, said Andrei Chang, also known as Pinkov, founder of the Canadian-based Kanwa Defense Review.

Tsai Ing-wen, chair of Taiwan’s opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), is a front-runner in the presidential race and, if elected, is expected to adopt a less conciliatory position toward China than incumbent President Ma Ying-jeou.     [FULL  STORY]