Washington announced another $1.1 billion military aid package to Taiwan. The White House is confident that new arms supplies will make Beijing abandon the island. However, the Chinese authorities are not going to change their plans. About what is happening in the region – in the material of RIA Novosti.
Americans keep raising the stakes. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in early August, followed by an entire delegation of lawmakers. Beijing responded with showy military exercises near the island. China’s position remains unchanged: no one has the right to judge Taiwan’s regime except the Chinese themselves.
And now the White House has announced another military aid package for Taipei. According to the Pentagon, it includes about 60 AGM-84K Harpoon Block II anti-ship missiles, about 100 AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, as well as air defense radar stations. The media had earlier reported the deployment of several hundred American trainers to Taiwan.
“The weapons will enhance Taiwan’s security and help maintain political stability, military balance and economic progress in the region,” Washington said.
Beijing reacted immediately. Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said the “one China” principle and the three China-US joint communiques were blatantly violated. The DPRK will take “decisive and strong measures to resolutely defend its sovereignty and interests.”
Mao Ning held the White House responsible for increasing tension in the Taiwan Strait. No force will prevent the full reunification of the country, he added.
Washington has once again reiterated its readiness to defend its Pacific ally, with US Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff Clinton Hainot even threatening Beijing with a strike on its hubs and supply channels if the island is attacked. According to the general, the importance of logistics was demonstrated by the military action in Ukraine. And the US, he emphasized, has everything to hit.
Earlier, another senior military official, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Miley, suggested that Taipei carefully study Ukraine’s actions and learn the tactics used against the Russian military. According to Milley, one should be prepared to put the entire population of the island under arms.
“I think China has a strategy in response to all these actions,” says political scientist and orientalist Dmitry Mosyakov. – They have their own approach, the US has theirs. Which of the two is more correct and successful is very difficult to say. The Americans are trying to influence the internal situation in China, to show Southeast Asia that they are the ones dictating the agenda in the region. In the current global crises, Washington cannot let Beijing remain on the sidelines. The basis of the strategy is to draw the Chinese into the conflict before they are quite ready.”
It is highly doubtful that Washington desires open conflict. Just last spring, the US Air Force Command declassified the results of war games in which US aircraft faced off against Chinese aircraft in a hypothetical invasion of Taiwan. The simulation showed unequivocally that the PLA could not be defeated by a hasty attack. Although the United States eventually gained the upper hand, the casualties were devastating.
According to the likely scenario of the games, in 2030, Beijing began to resolve the Taiwan issue by violently engaging its air force and navy in a massive landing operation. Taipei asked for help. The Pentagon, having amassed an impressive force in the South China Sea, reacted immediately. The simulation was an all-air exercise, with support from naval and ground forces.
In previous years, the Americans had been defeated each time. In 2018 and 2019, Washington used every available asset. However, planes and drones have never been able to breach the Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) system. Chinese fighters and air defense systems, both land and naval, safely covered the skies over Taiwan and repelled the attacks, while expeditionary units took control of the island.
Last year’s simulation won with invisible technology: maneuvers were modeled in the future, not the present, allowing the use of not only existing, but also advanced aircraft and weapons, which for the most part are still only in blueprints. In the end, the air force defeated the Chinese forces and blocked the surviving units. But at great cost.
The Pentagon did not specify how severe the damage was. However, it is clear: in real life, the conflict will be even worse.
