A documentary released by Chinese state media shows soldiers preparing to attack Taiwan and promising to give up their lives in battle if needed, according to the Associated Press.
"If war broke out and the conditions were too difficult to safely remove the naval mines in actual combat, we would use our own bodies to clear a safe pathway for our [landing] forces," Zuo Feng, a diver with the Chinese Navy’s minesweeper unit, said in the documentary Chasing Dreams, aired on the state-run media channel CCTV this week. The documentary depicted military drills and interviews with soldiers and showcased Chinese aircraft carriers and warships.
The AP reported that a Chinese Air Force pilot featured in the documentary similarly vowed to give up his life, saying his "fighter jet would be the last missile rushing towards the enemy if in a real battle, I had used up all my ammunition."
The program's release comes as tensions between the United States and China continue to escalate. Dozens of war games carried out by the Pentagon have indicated the United States is unprepared for a "horrifically bloody" war with China. Meanwhile, the U.S. military has reported close encounters with Chinese ships and planes.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in June that the United States does not "support Taiwan independence" during a visit to Beijing.