News Desk
ZHANJIANG, China — In a chilling display of military ambition, China has conducted drills in Guangdong province showcasing a new weapon in its arsenal: Shuiqiao-class barges designed to form a mobile pier for amphibious assaults. Footage briefly posted last month on Weibo, China’s tightly controlled microblogging platform, revealed three of these barges linked to create a relocatable bridge stretching nearly a kilometer from deep waters to a beach near Zhanjiang, a strategic port city. The exercises, analysts warn, signal Beijing’s accelerating preparations for a potential invasion of Taiwan, the self-governing island it claims as its own.
The Shuiqiao-class barges, whose name translates to “water bridge,” represent a significant leap in China’s amphibious capabilities. Unlike traditional landing craft, these vessels can connect via extendable bridges, allowing tanks, troops, and heavy equipment to roll directly onto shorelines without relying on vulnerable ports. Satellite imagery from Planet Labs, analyzed by Agence France-Presse, confirmed the barges’ deployment off Zhanjiang in late March, underscoring their role in overcoming Taiwan’s limited number of suitable landing beaches—a longstanding logistical hurdle for any invasion force.
“This is a game-changer,” said Andrew S. Erickson, a professor at the U.S. Naval War College’s China Maritime Studies Institute, who described the barges as purpose-built for military operations with no clear commercial application. “By expanding the range of potential landing sites, China is forcing Taiwan to stretch its defenses thin, complicating an already daunting challenge.” A March report by the institute noted that three additional Shuiqiao barges are under construction, suggesting Beijing is doubling down on this capability as part of President Xi Jinping’s 2027 military modernization goals.
The drills near Zhanjiang, home to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s Southern Theater Command, come amid a surge in Chinese provocations around Taiwan. In early April, Beijing launched large-scale military exercises simulating blockades and attacks on the island, deploying its Shandong aircraft carrier in waters dangerously close to Taipei’s shores. Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense condemned the maneuvers as “reckless provocations” that threaten regional stability, a sentiment echoed by U.S. officials who have vowed to counter China’s aggression.
Critics argue that China’s actions reflect a broader pattern of belligerence under Xi’s leadership, which has seen the PLA increasingly flex its muscles across the Indo-Pacific. In recent weeks, Chinese forces conducted live-fire drills near Australia and Vietnam, while state media celebrated the barges’ ability to deliver “large numbers of heavy equipment onto an island while keeping their feet dry,” according to military commentator Wei Dongxu. Such rhetoric, coupled with the Weibo footage, appears designed to intimidate Taiwan and test the resolve of its allies, particularly the United States.
Taiwan, for its part, remains defiant but acutely aware of the growing threat. With only a handful of beaches suitable for large-scale landings, its military has long relied on fortified coastal defenses. The Shuiqiao barges, however, could render these preparations less effective by enabling Chinese forces to target a wider array of coastal sites. “This forces us to rethink our entire defensive strategy,” said a Taiwanese defense official to international media.
The timing of the drills raises questions about China’s intentions as global attention focuses on other conflicts. Some analysts suggest Beijing is exploiting a distracted international community to advance its military agenda. “China is playing a long game,” said Bonnie Glaser, director of the Indo-Pacific program at the German Marshall Fund. “These barges are not just about Taiwan—they’re about projecting power and signaling to the world that China can act with impunity.”
For now, the Shuiqiao barges remain in testing, with the PLA likely years away from fully operationalizing them. Yet their debut on a Guangdong beach, captured in grainy Weibo footage, serves as a stark reminder of Beijing’s unrelenting ambitions. As Taiwan braces for an uncertain future, the world watches a rising superpower sharpening its tools for conflict, undeterred by international condemnation.
Sources: Agence France-Presse, U.S. Naval War College, Taiwan Ministry of National Defense, The Guardian, Reuters.
