Taipei: A Taiwan defense scholar has recently said that many of the latest weapon systems debuted by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) during the 2025 "China Victory Day Parade" last month were meant to counter Taiwan's asymmetric warfare.
According to Focus Taiwan, in the latest issue of Defense and Security Biweekly published by the Taiwan military-funded think tank, the Institute for National Defense and Security Research (INDSR), Sheu Jyh-shyang noted that Taiwan had spent decades investing in asymmetric warfare, which involves the use of smaller, cheaper, yet highly effective weapon systems to make an invasion by a larger force prohibitively costly.
However, some of the PLA weapons that debuted at the Sept. 3 parade in Beijing marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II are expected to put great pressure on Taiwan's existing anti-missile systems, said Sheu, an assistant research fellow at the INDSR. Among these weapons are the Dongfeng-61, an intercontinental ballistic missile, a series of YJ anti-ship missiles, and the JL-3 intercontinental-range submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), Sheu wrote.
These latest-generation missiles are difficult to detect and cannot be fully intercepted even after detection, Sheu explained. The capability to launch these missiles from surface vessels, submarines, and aircraft further amplifies the threat from all fronts, he added.
On the ground, the PLA also showcased its ZTZ-100 tank, which features an automated Protection System with sensors and weapons to intercept missiles and drones, Sheu said. Additional safety features of the PLA's new tanks include an unmanned turret to enhance crew safety, he noted.
Meanwhile, the parade also displayed the PLA's first nuclear missile formation featuring the JL-1 air-launched ballistic missile. The parade marked the first public acknowledgment that China has achieved a nuclear triad, consisting of air-launched, submarine-launched, and land-based missiles.
According to Sheu, China's display of a complete nuclear triad was intended to further coerce countries worldwide with its growing military might. It could serve as a deterrent aimed at preventing Western countries from intervening in the event of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, the scholar warned.