Key Takeaways:
- China has conducted a fresh round of military drills near Taiwan
- Experts at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) expect a full-scale invasion by 2026
- Taiwan has vowed to defend itself against a Chinese attack
YEREVAN (CoinChapter.com) — A possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan in the coming years could be a huge blow to the United States. According to the latest study by the Washington DC-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), an attempted military subjugation of the Republic of China (ROC) by the People’s Republic of China will be a massive failure, thanks to the involvement of the USA.
However, Taiwan’s defense against China will come at a massive cost to its mightiest ally. Moreover, other regional partners of the USA, including Japan, will also suffer crushing losses, CNN reported, citing the war game simulations conducted by the American think tank.
According to expert analysts in CSIS, the much-celebrated Chinese Navy will be reduced to shambles if it attempts to forcefully take control of Taiwan. With hundreds of ships, submarines, and major surface combatants, the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is one of the largest and strongest in the world.
The report titled The First Battle of the Next War suggests that the US Airforce will also lose some of its carriers defending Taiwan against the Chinese attack.
As CoinChapter earlier reported, Taiwan has been actively preparing to defend itself against a full-fledged invasion by Beijing becomes increasingly plausible.
Experts anticipate that the war could last three weeks, during which as many as 3,200 US troops could lose their lives.
“The United States and Japan lose dozens of ships, hundreds of aircraft, and thousands of service members. Such losses would damage the US global position for many years,”
CNN said quoting the report.
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China carries out military drills near Taiwan. Will the USA react?
In what comes as a further sign of escalated tensions, China conducted a fresh round of military drills near Taiwan on January 8, 2023.
The People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theatre Command issued a statement about joint sea and airspace “combat readiness patrols and actual combat drills” which it organized around Taiwan.
The small island nation, officially the Republic of China (ROC), was formerly part of the Chinese empire. However, under the 1895 Treaty of Shimonoseki signed between Japan and the Chinese Ching dynasty, Taiwan ceased being a part of the Chinese empire. Regardless, Beijing still claims the region as its own and wants to take it back under its control.
During the 20th Chinese Communist Party Congress last October, Chinese leader Xi Jinping claimed his Government will not hesitate to use force to this end.
“We will never promise to renounce the use of force and we reserve the option of taking all measures necessary,”
Xi threatened.
The latest provocations seem to be a part of this plan. To back its actions, Beijing has accused Taiwan of resorting to provocations.
Meanwhile, the Government of Taiwan condemned China’s military drills and denounced its claims as “groundless accusations”. It also vowed to take necessary steps to defend its borders should things escalate.
“Taiwan’s position is very clear, in that it will neither escalate conflicts nor provoke disputes, but will firmly defend its sovereignty and security,”
Taiwan’s presidential office said in a statement.
The country’s Ministry of Defiance also said it had detected 57 Chinese aircraft and four naval vessels operating around its territory.
The recent escalation comes as no surprise. In November 2022, Xi Jinping instructed his armed forces to prepare for a war with Taiwan.
Last September, U.S. President Joe Biden said U.S forces would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion.
