A classified US military intelligence report seen by the ABC says China is rapidly building up the country’s commercial ferry fleet to prepare for an invasion of Taiwan.
The report dates from earlier this year and was prepared by members of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) for the Pentagon.
The US intelligence says the large ocean-going vessels have been modified to carry tanks and partake in amphibious operations.
The ABC has seen the report on the condition that it is not quoted directly, in order to protect the source of the information.
In 2022 alone, some 30 Chinese commercial ferries were monitored by Five Eyes intelligence in military exercises involving People’s Liberation Army (PLA) troops.
Five Eyes is an intelligence-sharing alliance between Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States.
China is building more than 70 of the large vessels by the end of 2026.
Taiwan’s government confirmed to the ABC that it viewed the vessels as part of China’s “expansionist intentions” vis-a-vis Taiwan.
“We are also seeing increasing grey-zone tactics … to weaken Taiwan’s democracy and society, such as cyber attacks,” Douglas Hsu, Taiwan’s chief representative to Australia, told the ABC.
“Civilian vessels or other dual-use facilities in [the] maritime domain are also part of China’s strategy,” he said.
Cargo ships being used with new landing docks
Satellite intelligence of the ferries from earlier this year shows them being used alongside a series of new landing docks off China’s coastline, as well as deploying amphibious forces in military exercises.
The landing docks are a new class of vessel that allows the ferries to deploy cargo and people onto a beach.
The US Department of Defense intelligence report assessed the commercial ferries as possible military targets in a conflict scenario with China.
This means the ferries could be targeted and sunk by US forces in the event of a Taiwan crisis, even with civilian crews on board.
It is a position partly reflected in discussion papers within the US Indo-Pacific Command, which has expressed growing alarm about the vessels.
“The direct insertion of troops into conflict is a belligerent act normally reserved for warships, yet the People’s Liberation Army appears intent to use commercial roll-on-roll-off vessels (non-warships) for this purpose,” an internal paper found.
A senior Australian government source, familiar with the matter, has confirmed to the ABC that Australia had also seen the report.
