China’s military has been practising for a potential invasion of Taiwan using a fleet of civilian cargo ships and ferries, according to a Reuters investigation that analysed satellite imagery and vessel movements from large-scale exercises held this summer.

The report reveals that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is experimenting with methods to rapidly land troops and equipment on multiple Taiwanese beaches at once a tactic that military experts say could overwhelm the island’s defences in the event of an attack.

Satellite imagery showed 12 civilian ships, including six roll-on, roll-off car ferries and six deck cargo vessels, conducting beach landings near Jiesheng in China’s Guangdong Province in August. Some were observed unloading vehicles directly onto the sand via built-in ramp

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