Taipei: The Ministry of National Defense's 2026 report on China's military power, submitted to the Legislative Yuan on Monday, places greater emphasis than last year's report on the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) efforts to strengthen its capabilities for a potential landing operation on Taiwan, according to an analyst.
According to Focus Taiwan, Chieh Chung, an adjunct associate research fellow at Taiwan's government-funded Institute for National Defense and Security Research (INDSR), said the report suggested that improving joint island-landing capabilities and completing military transformation had become the PLA's priorities for force development over the coming years. Chieh noted that these efforts do not appear to have been significantly affected by the gaps in the PLA's chain of command caused by Chinese President Xi Jinping's large-scale purge of senior military officials.
The report highlights advancements in both sea and air capabilities. In the "weapons acquisition" section, it details how the PLA Ground Force (PLAGF) is upgrading and modifying the Z-20 utility helicopter and developing unmanned transport helicopters. Additionally, the Air Force is in the process of replacing existing equipment with new airborne infantry fighting vehicles, transport vehicles, and mortar carriers.
Further insights from the report's "military training" section reveal that PLA Army Aviation helicopter units are actively conducting fuel and ammunition resupply operations using offshore platforms. This marks a significant step in enhancing logistical support for potential island-landing operations, according to Chieh.