June 7, 2004 :: Defense News :: News
In its annual report on China’s military strategy and modernization efforts, the Pentagon suggests various means by which Taiwan might defend itself against a possible Chinese offensive, notes Defense News. The report argues Taiwan could show its strength by targeting urban populations, high-value infrastructure like the Three Gorges Dam, along with Chinese computer networks, airports, communications nodes and command-and-control centers.
Recognizing the military balance of power is trending steadily in favor of China and “eroding the spatial, temporal and distance challenges that have historically inhibited using force against Taiwan,” the Pentagon presumably wants to encourage the Taiwanese to adopt and work toward a variety of defense reforms, from linking up Taiwan’s armed forces in a computer-network centric system, to emphasizing the importance of cooperation and defenses against Chinese missiles.
Defense analysts say China plans to target the leadership in Taipei with a “decapitation” strategy, thus deterring American intervention. Therefore, it must be necessary for Taiwan to have the tools and capability to fight back. Says the Heritage Foundation’s China expert John Tkacik, Jr., “If Taiwan does not have a credible stand-off strike capability, in any kind of battle situation it will be the U.S. [military] that will have to take the battle to China. I think that makes any kind of conflict much more manageable if those strikes are from Taiwan and not from the U.S.”
Yet Bernard Cole of the National Defense University says, “China is so big and there are so many targets that I don’t see a target set that would convince Beijing to lay off if some sort of conflict broke out.”
» Annual Report on Chinese Military Power
» More stories on: China, Taiwan
