The Japanese news program news zero recently aired a series of reports focused on the theme of a “Taiwan contingency,” examining the triangular relations between Taiwan, Japan, and mainland China. Notably, Sho Sakurai, a member of the popular Japanese idol group Arashi and host of the program, conducted an exclusive interview with Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te. The production team also visited the Bo’ai Special Zone in Taipei and revealed that mainland China appears to be constructing a similar block in Inner Mongolia, reportedly to simulate and prepare for a swift takeover of Taiwan’s Presidential Office and paralyze the administrative government.
According to a 13-minute video released by Japan News Network (JNN) on the 18th, the report noted that President Lai had previously referred to mainland China as a “hostile external force.” It also covered the large-scale military drills launched by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) earlier this year, in which a propaganda video portrayed Lai as a “parasite” and warned that pro-independence actions would only “bring disaster upon oneself.”
The report further highlighted that satellite images captured by Google in April last year show street layouts and structures emerging in the Inner Mongolian desert that closely resemble those in Taipei’s Bo’ai Special Zone. During an on-site visit to Bo’ai, reporters first encountered a laundromat and a breakfast shop selling fried dough sticks and soy milk. As they turned the corner, Liberty Square in front of the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall came into view, followed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, and finally the Presidential Office, which serves as Taiwan’s central administrative hub. Reporters found that the road length constructed in Inner Mongolia differed by only 2 meters from Taipei’s Guiyang Street, indicating a clear and deliberate design.
Chung Chih-tung, Assistant Research Fellow at Taiwan’s Institute for National Defense and Security Research, explained that China’s construction of the replica streets in Inner Mongolia is intended to help PLA troops familiarize themselves with the surroundings of Taiwan’s Presidential Office. The goal is to enable them to quickly seize the terrain and suppress administrative institutions in the event of an invasion. He pointed out that Liberty Square in front of the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall spans 250,000 square meters—large enough to accommodate an entire army corps—revealing Beijing’s military planning.
In addition, an investigation by Japan News Network found that several large fishing vessels are docked at the port of Shangchuan Island in Jiangmen, Guangdong Province. These vessels are equipped with high-pressure water cannons. A crew member revealed that in addition to fishing, the boats also serve as “militia vessels.” Japanese military expert Bonji Ohara analyzed that these “maritime militias” could receive orders and carry out operations during wartime. Under the guise of “civilian activities,” they might carry out harassment tactics against Taiwan, potentially undermining the legitimacy of U.S. military intervention.
