Let the Games Continue

Remember that Sino-Russian war game? Well, they're practicing a naval blockade scenario.

Chinese destroyers, submarines and fighter planes were coordinating Tuesday with a Russian missile destroyer and anti-submarine vessels in ongoing war games simulating a naval blockade, state media said.

A Russian A-50 AWACS (Airborne Early Warning and Control Systems) aircraft circled to monitor "enemy" movements both in the air and at sea as the joint blockade was mounted, China Central Television (CCTV) reported.

[...]

"The naval blockade military operation is made up of four parts, including striving for and maintaining air superiority over the water and joint air and sea anti-submarine operations," Xinhua news agency said.

"The third part is the joint submarine, air and warship attack on 'enemy' warships and submarines, while the fourth task is the air defense of surface vessels and submarines."

CCTV video of the exercises showed warships deployed in coastal waters as tracers and smoke from live-fire exercises exploded in the air. The exercises end on Thursday.

Chinese media has said the exercises were taking place against the backdrop of "the fight against terrorism, separatism and extremism" -- usually cited by China within the context of its endeavors to control the northwestern region of Xinjiang, home to a Muslim separatist movement.

But experts say the drills are more likely to be aimed at Taiwan. China considers the island part of its territory and threatens to invade if it formally declares independence.

Anyone who cares about China and its military buildup, and about Russia's military situation, should read the whole article. On the surface, it's not such a big deal; every country runs war games on a continual basis, because that's how you train for war. However, this business of practicing a naval blockade, and the standard line of defending against "terrorism, separatism and extremism" can mean only one thing: Taiwan.

Not good.