Recent satellite imagery has revealed a mock version of Taiwan’s Presidential Office situated within a military training facility in China’s Inner Mongolia region. This construction, first highlighted by a social media post on X (formerly Twitter) and later verified through open-source imagery on the Sinergise’s Sentinel Hub website, illustrates a detailed replication of the area surrounding Taiwan’s Presidential Office in Taipei. The training site, identified in the Alxa League, commenced construction in March 2021 and reached completion by October of the same year.
Another #PLA mock target of #Taiwan presidential office in Alxa League, Inner Mongolia, #China.#TaiwanStrait #ChinaPLA pic.twitter.com/zTcXkodlIU
— sfx_ewss (@sfx_ewss) March 25, 2024
This move comes amid China’s continued military modernization efforts under the leadership of Xi Jinping, which have raised concerns regarding the potential for an invasion of Taiwan by 2027. China claims Taiwan as part of its territory, a stance that has fueled cross-strait tensions since the Chinese Communist Party’s ascension to power on the mainland in 1949.
The construction of such mock facilities is not a novel strategy for the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). In 2015, state media broadcasted a military exercise at the Zhurihe Training Base in Inner Mongolia, showcasing PLA soldiers engaging with a building resembling the Taiwan Presidential Office.
Admiral John Aquilino of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command testified to the U.S. Armed Services Committee highlighting the PLA’s directive to be prepared for potential action against Taiwan by 2027. Despite claims from Chinese leadership expressing a preference for peaceful reunification, the construction of such mock facilities and continued military buildup indicate a readiness to employ force if deemed necessary.
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