Can the US Defend Taiwan with China’s Growing Military Power?
According to US officials and experts, China’s rapid military build up has raised questions about America’s ability to protect Taiwan if a war breaks out, indicating a shifting balance of power in the Pacific, where American forces once ruled.
A battle over Taiwan is indeed a worst-case scenario. However, China’s increasing military might, along with its loutish behaviour, has turned Taiwan into a major flashpoint between Beijing and Washington — as well as a test case for how the US can deal with China’s superpower ambitions.
Adm. Philip Davidson, the outgoing chief of the US military’s Indo-Pacific Command, cautioned senators earlier this month that the US is losing its military advantage over China and that Beijing may decide to take control of Taiwan by force by 2027.
China seemed to have no chance of successfully challenging the US military in the Taiwan Strait twenty years ago. On the other hand, today’s more stable China has spent money on new naval ships, warplanes, cyber and space arms, and a large arsenal of ballistic and cruise missiles to counter the United States’ sea and air force.
According to one senior Defense official, Chinese missiles are becoming “longer, and longer ranges,” and the missiles pose a growing problem for the US in terms of breaching the region around Taiwan.
Even if China stays away from direct military action against Taiwan, US officials and observers are worried that Beijing will ultimately compel Taipei to surrender to military and economic pressure, giving the impression that the US cannot guarantee Taiwan’s security.
According to US military officers in the Pacific, the Pentagon needs to push more weapons and resources to Asia and change its outlook to take on China. Without a shift of arms and strategy, the US military could find itself at a disadvantage in Taiwan and throughout the Pacific, jeopardizing the confidence of allies and partners who look to Washington as a counterweight to China.
Posted: July 6, 2021 by CornerstoneCMG
Can the US Defend Taiwan with China’s Growing Military Power?
According to US officials and experts, China’s rapid military build up has raised questions about America’s ability to protect Taiwan if a war breaks out, indicating a shifting balance of power in the Pacific, where American forces once ruled.
A battle over Taiwan is indeed a worst-case scenario. However, China’s increasing military might, along with its loutish behaviour, has turned Taiwan into a major flashpoint between Beijing and Washington — as well as a test case for how the US can deal with China’s superpower ambitions.
Adm. Philip Davidson, the outgoing chief of the US military’s Indo-Pacific Command, cautioned senators earlier this month that the US is losing its military advantage over China and that Beijing may decide to take control of Taiwan by force by 2027.
China seemed to have no chance of successfully challenging the US military in the Taiwan Strait twenty years ago. On the other hand, today’s more stable China has spent money on new naval ships, warplanes, cyber and space arms, and a large arsenal of ballistic and cruise missiles to counter the United States’ sea and air force.
According to one senior Defense official, Chinese missiles are becoming “longer, and longer ranges,” and the missiles pose a growing problem for the US in terms of breaching the region around Taiwan.
Even if China stays away from direct military action against Taiwan, US officials and observers are worried that Beijing will ultimately compel Taipei to surrender to military and economic pressure, giving the impression that the US cannot guarantee Taiwan’s security.
According to US military officers in the Pacific, the Pentagon needs to push more weapons and resources to Asia and change its outlook to take on China. Without a shift of arms and strategy, the US military could find itself at a disadvantage in Taiwan and throughout the Pacific, jeopardizing the confidence of allies and partners who look to Washington as a counterweight to China.
Report by:
Journalist/Photographer _ Florence Akano
Journalist/Photographer _ Olivier Noudjalbaye Dedingar
Category: News Tags: China Military Power, US