China does not seem to be pursuing the amphibious lift capacity that would be necessary for a large-scale invasion of Taiwan, a report presented to US Congress said.
At the same time, China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) ground forces continue to prepare for a Taiwan-related contingency, the report said.
Prepared by the Congressional Research Service and titled The Chinese Military: Overview and Issues for Congress, the report was written by Asian affairs analyst Ian Rinehart and released this week.
It said that PLA ground forces have armed attack helicopters and other modern platforms, improved networks that enable real-time data transmission.
It is also continuing to improve its advanced air defense systems and practicing more realistic training exercises, including amphibious landing training, the report said.
“On the other hand, PLA weaknesses in areas like logistics and amphibious lift could render the PLA unable to carry out assigned missions, in particular an invasion of Taiwan,” it said.
“Both air lift and sea lift capacity remain major shortcomings for the PLA, constraining significantly its ability to carry out large-scale power projection operations,” it added.
The report said that over the past two decades, the main focus of the PLA’s military planning and short-term operational readiness has been a potential conflict over Taiwan.
Such planning might also be designed to deter Taiwan from declaring independence, the report said.
According to the report, an invasion of Taiwan would be a “daunting undertaking” for China.
“The potential intervention of the US to defend Taiwan would present enormous challenges for the PLA,” it said.
Rinehart said that China is building a modern and regionally powerful military with a limited, but growing capability for conducting operations away from China’s immediate periphery.
“The question of how the US should respond to China’s military modernization effort is a central issue in US defense planning and foreign policy,” he said.
Rinehart said that many American China-watchers assert that China’s main reason for strengthening the PLA is to ensure the status of Taiwan is resolved on terms favorable to Beijing.
He said that Pentagon and other analysts argue that China’s military modernization was explicitly designed to keep the US military from sending reinforcements to a conflict by controlling access to naval approach routes through a variety of stand-off attacks.
“The PRC does not consider its desire to unify with Taiwan and to consolidate control over islands in the South China Sea as strategically offensive, whereas many in the US and other countries see such ambitions as inherently offensive,” Rinehart said.
Four factors led to the declaration of a typhoon day and the cancelation of classes yesterday, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. Work and classes were canceled across Taiwan yesterday as Typhoon Krathon was forecast to make landfall in the southern part of the country. However, northern Taiwan had only heavy winds during the day and rain in the evening, leading some to criticize the cancelation. Speaking at a Taipei City Council meeting yesterday, Chiang said the decision was made due to the possibility of landslides and other problems in mountainous areas, the need to avoid a potentially dangerous commute for those
Typhoon Krathon, a military airshow and rehearsals for Double Ten National Day celebrations might disrupt flights at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in the first 10 days of next month, the airport’s operator said yesterday. Taoyuan International Airport Corp said in a statement that it has established a response center after the Central Weather Administration issued a sea warning for Krathon, and urged passengers to remain alert to the possibility of disruptions caused by the storm in the coming days. Flight schedules might also change while the air force conducts rehearsals and holds a final airshow for Double Ten National Day, it added. Although
SEMICONDUCTORS: TSMC is able to produce 2-nanometer chips and mass production is expected to be launched by next year, the company said In leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing China is behind Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) by at least 10 years as the Taiwanese chipmaker’s manufacturing process has progressed to 2 nanometers, National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Minister Wu Cheng-wen (吳誠文) said yesterday. Wu made the remarks during a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Education and Culture Committee when asked by Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Wu Pei-yi (吳沛憶) about a report published in August by the Chinese version of Nikkei Asia that said Taiwan’s lead over China in chip manufacturing was only three years. She asked Wu Cheng-wen if the report was an accurate
PRO-CHINA SLOGANS: Two DPP members criticized police officers’ lack of action at the scene, saying that law enforcement authorities should investigate the incident Chinese tourists allegedly interrupted a protest in Taipei on Tuesday held by Hong Kongers, knocked down several flags and shouted: “Taiwan and Hong Kong belong to China.” Hong Kong democracy activists were holding a demonstration as Tuesday was China’s National Day. A video posted online by civic group Hong Kong Outlanders shows a couple, who are allegedly Chinese, during the demonstration. “Today is China’s National Day, and I won’t allow the displaying of these flags,” the male yells in the video before pushing some demonstrators and knocking down a few flagpoles. Radio Free Asia reported that some of the demonstrators
RSS