PLA Chinese army training to cross-sea troop transport obviously targeting Taiwan.

According to a report in Global Times by Liu Xuanzun, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) recently conducted a cross-sea troop transport exercise using a large ferry ship. This exercise demonstrated the ship's potential significance in large-scale amphibious landing missions and has drawn attention from foreign media in connection to the Taiwan question.
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A combined arms brigade affiliated with the PLA 81st Group Army uses the Chinese Rejuvenation ferry to transport troops and vehicles, including Type 96 main battle tanks, in a military-civilian integrated, cross-sea troop maneuvering exercise in October 2021 (Picture source: screenshot from CCTV)

During the integrated military-civilian long-range power projection exercise, a PLA Navy brigade utilized a roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) passenger ship with a displacement of tens of thousands of tons to transport troops in the Bohai Sea. The brigade organized its troops into multiple combat groups based on personnel and equipment and successfully transported the entire unit in a single voyage. The Chang Shan Dao ro-ro passenger ship carried various military vehicles, including off-road tactical vehicles, wheeled infantry fighting vehicles, trucks, and jeeps, along with a substantial number of troops. The exercise aimed to assess the PLA Navy troops' capabilities for maritime transport under special conditions.

The PLA often employs large ferry ships for troop transport, a practice commonly utilized in amphibious landing operations worldwide. Given the limited number of dedicated amphibious landing ships, ferries can play a crucial role in maritime transport missions once sea lanes and ports are secured.

Foreign media have speculated on the potential use of these ferries in a hypothetical PLA reunification-by-force operation involving Taiwan. As Taiwan reportedly prepares for the Han Kuang live-fire military exercises to resist reunification by force, the PLA has increased its regular exercises and patrols around the island. This includes deploying more aircraft and vessels, according to the defense authority on the island.

Defense News July 2023