China might accelerate its strategic actions toward Taiwan, the South China Sea and across the first island chain, after the US officially entered a military conflict with Iran, as Beijing would perceive Washington as incapable of fighting a two-front war, a military expert said yesterday.
The US’ ongoing conflict with Iran is not merely an act of retaliation or a “delaying tactic,” but a strategic military campaign aimed at dismantling Tehran’s nuclear capabilities and reshaping the regional order in the Middle East, said National Defense University distinguished adjunct lecturer Holmes Liao (廖宏祥), former McDonnell Douglas Aerospace representative in Taiwan.
If the US is committed to deploying ground troops to Iran, the conflict could escalate into a regional, or even a quasi-global war, he said.
Photo: Reuters
The real concern lies not in the potential collapse of the Iranian regime, but in the broader strategic cost: The US has once again became entangled in Middle East affairs, which could benefit China, he said.
After the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the US poured vast defense and diplomatic resources into the global “war on terror,” stationing troops in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and parts of Africa for years. That prolonged focus delayed and weakened Washington’s Indo-Pacific strategy, he said.
During that window of distraction, China swiftly rose, leveraging globalization and Western capital to build up its economic and technological strength, while simultaneously advancing military modernization and global influence, he said.
Through projects such as the Belt and Road Initiative and the militarization of the South China Sea, China has shifted regional dynamics and heightened pressure on Taiwan, he said.
If the US is once again mired in a Middle East war, its ability to counter China would be further diminished, he added.
Beijing would recognize such vulnerability and might escalate strategic maneuvers against Taiwan, the South China Sea and the first island chain.
In China’s eyes, the deeper the US is drawn into the Middle East, the better it is for Beijing, he said.
On the other hand, National Defense and Security Research fellow Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲) said that the US military is unlikely to engage in a ground war between Iran and Israel.
Following initial airstrikes, strategic focus would quickly pivot back to the Indo-Pacific region, as China remains the true long-term threat to US national security, he said.
The US intervention in Iran aligns with US President Donald Trump’s overarching strategy, Su said.
Since his presidential campaign started, Trump has consistently been pushing for a swift resolution to the war in Ukraine, advocating for NATO to shoulder more responsibility so the US can refocus on confronting China in the Indo-Pacific region, he said.
Israel has previously used its conflict with Hamas to target Hezbollah and Syria, pushing back Russian and Chinese influence, he said.
Iran represents the final piece of that puzzle, he said.
If Iran’s military power is neutralized, the US can strategically consolidate in the Indo-Pacific region and concentrate all its resources against the Chinese military, he added.
The US military action in Iran is unlikely to involve large-scale ground operations, but would instead likely consist of rapid and precise missile and airstrikes, Su said.
A first shipment of five tons of Taiwan tilapia was sent from Tainan to Singapore on Wednesday, following an order valued at NT$600,000 (US$20,500) placed with a company in the city. The products, including frozen whole fish and pre- cooked fish belly, were dispatched from Jiangjun Fishing Harbor, where a new aquatic processing and logistics center is under construction. At the launch, Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che (黃偉哲) called the move a “breakthrough,” marking Taiwan’s expansion into the Singaporean tilapia market. Taiwan’s tilapia exports have traditionally focused on the United States, Canada, and the Middle East, Huang said, adding that the new foothold in
An electric bus charging facility at Taipei Metro’s Beitou Depot officially opened yesterday with 22 charging bays to serve the city’s 886 electric buses. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) told a ceremony to mark the opening of the facility that the city aims to fully electrify its bus fleet by 2030. The number of electric buses has grown from about 650 last year to 886 this year and is expected to surpass 1,000 by the end of the year, Chiang said. Setting up the charging station in a metro depot optimizes land and energy use, as the metro uses power mainly during the
An exhibition demonstrating the rejuvenation of the indigenous Kuskus Village in Pingtung County’s Mudan Township (牡丹) opened at the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency’s conservation station in Taipei on Thursday. Agency Director-General Lin Hwa-ching (林華慶) said they have been promoting the use and development of forestry resources to local indigenous residents for eight years to drive regional revitalization. While modern conservation approaches mostly stem from western scientific research, eco-friendly knowledge and skills passed down through generations of indigenous people, who have lived in Taiwan for centuries, could be more suitable for the environment, he said. The agency’s Pingtung branch Director-General Yang Jui-fen (楊瑞芬)
Traffic controls are to be in place in Taipei starting tonight, police said, as rallies supporting recall efforts targeting the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers as well as a rally organized by the KMT opposing the recall campaigns are to take place tomorrow. Traffic controls are to be in place on City Hall Road starting from 10pm tonight and on Jinan Road Section 1 starting from 8am tomorrow, police said. Recall campaign groups in Taipei and New Taipei advocating for the recall of KMT legislators, along with the Safeguard Taiwan, Anti-Communist Alliance (反共護台聯盟), have previously announced plans for motorcycle parades and public
RSS