On August 1st, which marks the founding of the People’s Liberation Army, CCTV News aired a special feature titled “Chasing Dreams,” which for the first time showed footage of the Shandong aircraft carrier passing through the Taiwan Strait. The footage revealed that the Shandong aircraft carrier fleet traversed the Taiwan Strait earlier this year. During the transit, foreign aircraft attempted close-range reconnaissance, prompting the take-off of four J-15 fighter jets armed with missiles to carry out their mission. The video also featured pilots launching at least three missiles, with aircraft returning to the Shandong afterwards. The footage, however, did not mention the exact timing of these events.
CCTV’s website explained that “Chasing Dreams,” an eight-part series interpreting thoughts, is co-produced by the Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission, the China Media Group, and the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission. The series includes episodes titled “Glorious and Dreamy Expedition,” “Always Listening to the Party’s Command,” “Defending the Motherland with Youth and Passion,” “Always Ready for War,” “More Steel, More Spirit,” “Always Defending Our Roots and Souls,” “Pioneers in Military Reform,” and “Strengthening the Army Through Hard Work.”
In addition, on August 1st, the official WeChat account of the Eastern Theater Command released a video titled “Confidence.” This video displayed images of previous exercises carried out by the PLA Eastern Theater Command during the visits of Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan and Tsai Ing-wen to the United States. The video also includes scenes showing the PLA’s potential for an all-around island encirclement, as well as simulated firepower onto the island.
Furthermore, the footage creatively employed historical scenes from the Korean War, such as “Crossing the Yalu River,” “Fire at Me,” and the “Armistice Agreement at Panmunjom,” alongside close-up shots of PLA pilots driving away U.S. aircraft, Dongfeng series missiles, and the Air Force’s “Wang Hai Squadron.”
On August 1st, Tan Kefei, the spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, answered journalists’ questions regarding U.S. military aid to Taiwan. He emphasized that the PLA is closely monitoring the situation in the Taiwan Strait, maintaining high alert to resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and to uphold peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.