China has reportedly expanded a replica of Taiwan’s government buildings at the Zhurihe training base in Inner Mongolia, Beijing’s largest military training facility.
Based on satellite imagery obtained by a Japanese think tank, Japan’s Sankei Shimbun first reported the finding, which were later cited by the Taipei Times.
Construction of the replica buildings has been ongoing for several years, with China gradually adding and modifying structures to simulate Taipei’s government district.
Recent satellite images indicate that the complex has nearly tripled in size since 2020 and now includes a 280-meter (920-foot) underground tunnel connecting a mock presidential office to a replica of the Judicial Yuan, Taiwan’s highest judicial authority.
Previous Findings
China’s replication of Taiwanese government buildings is part of a broader program underway for roughly a decade, with several recent developments.
In August, satellite images revealed renewed activity at the Zhurihe base, featuring armored vehicles and roadblocks around a mock presidential office, suggesting urban warfare drills.
Between 2023 and 2024, a red-roofed building resembling Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense Reserve Command was completed.
In 2022, satellite images captured the People’s Liberation Army conducting urban warfare exercises at the Zhurihe training base, using armored vehicles and simulated street defenses, followed by brigade-sized units simulating combat near the mock presidential office.
The same year, Beijing reportedly used replicas of a Taiwanese port and warship as targets for ballistic missile testing.
