Chinese naval forces from the People's Liberation Army were actively engaged in a combat readiness mission around Taiwan during the Lantern Festival. Amid their patrol, soldiers aboard the CNS Huaibei took a moment to convey festive greetings to a nearby Taiwanese warship, emphasizing the shared cultural tradition of the Lantern Festival celebrated on both sides of the strait.
Throughout the 16-day period from Chinese New Year's Eve to the Lantern Festival, the PLA Eastern Theater Command ensured that its frontline units maintained constant readiness. Regularly dispatching naval and air units, the forces conducted patrols and training exercises around Taiwan, underlining their preparedness with live-fire confrontation drills during the Lantern Festival.
In a display of alertness and professional discipline, soldiers confirmed that all weapon systems were kept in a launch-ready state. Video footage from the patrol showed a CNS Huaibei soldier contacting the Taiwanese warship Yi Yang to express holiday wishes and to underscore the commitment of the troops to their combat readiness drills, all while multiple batches of J-10C fighter jets and H-6K bombers carried out coordinated flight missions in the surrounding airspace.
5 Comments
Marishka
“Hats off to the military for balancing the gravity of defense with the warmth of shared traditions.”
Pupsik
“Maintaining combat readiness during a festival might seem patriotic, but it feels like a clear warning to Taiwan.”
Marishka
“It’s reassuring to see a respectful nod to our shared cultural heritage alongside a strong commitment to readiness.”
Pupsik
“Celebrating the Lantern Festival while engaging in live-fire drills doesn’t add up. It’s more intimidation than honor.”
Marishka
“Using cultural tradition to justify constant military drills is nothing short of dangerous provocation.”