Venezuela: China’s Special Ops Drill—A Message to the US and Taiwan? | Taiwan Talks EP756

Drone flies into Taiwan airspace over Pratas Island in South China Sea
China broadcasts special ops “decapitation” drill
NYT: Chinese maritime militia form massive barriers
Taiwan-US coproduction of ammo
Taipei says 4 more US arms packages in pipeline

Less than two weeks after the US capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, China released video footage of its own “decapitation strike.” China’s state broadcaster CCTV says the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) exercise was meant to simulate the rescue of a hidden hostage, but the timing and similarities to the US operation led many to speculate that the target was intended to represent Taiwan President Lai Ching-te. Meanwhile, the New York Times has reported on unusual, barrier-like formations of thousands of Chinese fishing vessels, while Taiwan's military spotted a Chinese drone over Pratas (Dongsha) Island. Could this be a new gray-zone tactic? One theory is that these “civilian” boats could be used to block access to Taiwan’s east coast during a potential crisis, thereby cutting off its critical supply routes. It comes as Taiwan’s defense officials discuss plans for boosting its ammunition stockpiles and announce that four additional US arms packages are in the pipeline.

In this special episode, defense experts Guermantes Lailari and K. Tristan Tang are joined by former Czech Chamber of Deputies Speaker Markéta Pekarová Adamová, who shares some of the lessons that Europe has learned from Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine.

*Recorded on January 19, 2026 at 3pm Taiwan Standard Time

Host/Senior Producer: Yin Khvat
Research Assistant: Ryan Pham

Our guests:

Markéta Pekarová Adamová
Former Czech Republic Chamber of Deputies Speaker

Guermantes Lailari
US Air Force Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.)

K. Tristan Tang
Secure Taiwan Associate Corporation Associate Fellow

Chapters:
00:00:00 – Beijing Releases Footage of ‘Decapitation’ Drill
00:05:11 – China Flies Drone Over Taiwan’s Pratas Island
00:12:19 – NYT: Barrier-Like Chinese Boat Formations
00:16:51 – Taipei: 4 More US Arms Packages on Way
00:21:51 – Taiwan Expands Ammo Production Efforts




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