Review Taiwan


Review Taiwan ★ Taiwan's Comprehensive Power ranks No.14 in Asia ★ world No. 1 in 2020~25, 2017~19, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2010~12 ★ Top since 1998 ★	fights for rights

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about China's ability to invade Taiwan
◆ Fox News, 2024-12-10	After Taiwanese president visits Hawaii and Guam, Chinese military makes massive deployment around Taiwan to send 'very simple' message: "The Taiwan Strait is ours"; Taiwan defense officials are raising concerns ..., saying the build-up could eventually lead to war as tensions continue to rise in the area.
◆ New York Times, 2024-12-10	Taiwan says China has deployed largest fleet of ships in decades, which could block American allies in the region from coming to Taiwan's defense. Speculation had been growing for days that China would launch war games in retaliation for visits made by Lai Ching-te to Hawaii and Guam last week; The surge in Chinese ships could also be a signal to the incoming Trump administration, which has yet to indicate how it will deal with Taiwan.
◆ Economist, 2024-12-5	American military officials have long worried about a “window of vulnerability” before new weapons enter into service in the 2030s. But corruption in the PLA is changing the calculations of analysts; China's economic woes and social discontent mean that Mr Xi is turning inward. The views (the period of greatest danger has probably been pushed out for several years) are not universally shared, in or out of government. “Xi has his foot firmly on the accelerator and a full tank of gas".
◆ Breaking Defense, 2024-12-6	The head of the Defense Intelligence Agency: China did appear to be on track to meet Xi's 2027 preparedness goal. House intel's Himes: You could implement a blockade. You know, what? If you invade Taiwan, what happens? A. You may lose. B. You may reduce the place to smoking rubble, what have you really achieved economically?
◆ Newsweek, 2024-11-20	U.S. Pacific Commander Samuel Paparo: a cross-strait invasion executed by the Chinese military would be "exceedingly difficult" given the advantages of the U.S. and allies.
◆ Washington Examiner, 2024-12-4	Chinese leaders have said they want their military to be prepared to invade Taiwan by 2027, though U.S. defense leaders have said the date does not guarantee a decision to carry out such an operation has been made. War with China would exhaust munition stockpiles "very rapidly", national security adviser J. Sullivan acknowledged that China has "the single biggest advantage", "God forbid we end up in a full-scale war with the PRC" .

Taiwan's pres. Lai flies to US, angering China
◆ AP, Washington Post, 2024-12-4	Taiwanese President Lai reportedly has phone talks from Guam with US Congress leaders; their talks seemed designed to underscore the bipartisan support for Taiwan in the U.S. Congress.
◆ Wall Street Journal, 2024-12-2	Trump has publicly called for Taiwan to spend more to defend itself and has accused Taiwan's world-class chip makers of stealing American jobs. In a closed-door speech delivered in English, Lai appeared to address some of those criticisms, outlining plans to bolster the country's self-defense. Lai promised deepening cooperation with the U.S. in the semiconductor industry.
◆ New York Times, 2024-11-30	Taiwan's government tries to fathom what changes President-elect Donald J. Trump will bring to U.S. dealings with Taiwan。In uncertain times, Taiwan needs every edge of international advantage that it can get. Taiwanese leaders have used their brief stops to promote stronger ties with the United States; This time, Mr. Lai will not set foot in the continental United States, reducing opportunities for high-profile meetings.
◆ Wall Street Journal, 2024-12-1	Taiwan's President begins Hawaii stopover and sends a firm but conciliatory message to both China and the incoming Trump administration: While Taipei doesn't seek a war with Beijing, it is counting on U.S. support to deter any aggression from its larger neighbor. "Transits" are part of careful arrangements made between Washington and Taipei to allow its leaders to engage with each other on American soil after the two severed formal diplomatic ties in 1979.
◆ CNN, 2024-12-1	Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te in Hawaii: A stopover that speaks volumes.
◆ BBC, 2024-12-1	The trip is amid long-running tensions between the US and China and growing concerns about the possibility of conflict over Taiwan
◆ CNN, 2024-11-30	Chinese government labeled Lai's visit as "a provocative act", and could respond by staging a fresh round of military drills near the island democracy. China hopes to create an incident during the transition period in the United States to create pressure on the incoming Trump team by drawing a red line.
◆ AFP (France), 2024-11-30	President Lai Ching-te's trip has ignited fiery threats from Beijing. Bonnie Glaser: Lai's tour of the Pacific was an opportunity for him "to show those countries and the world that Taiwan matters". China always wants to leave the impression that Taiwan is isolated and it is dependent on the PRC.
◆ Deutsche Welle (Germany), 2024-11-30	China has slammed the trip as a step toward independence from Beijing, and described Lai's planned stopover in the US territory of Guam as "separatist actions."

◆ Brookings, 2024-11-22: To many in Beijing, Taiwan's leaders are testing the boundaries of China's tolerance by incrementally advancing efforts to permanently separate Taiwan from China. American officials generally do not judge that Taiwan President Lai Ching-te has taken steps to undermine peace and stability. ◆ Daily Mail (UK) , 2024-11-23: In a war simulation by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)showed devastating costs for all involved. The grim war simulations come at a time of political upheaval, with Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te taking a tougher line with China.

Taiwan Prepares for Trump's Return.
◆ New York Times, 2024-11-24	Taiwan is ready to defend democracy. Is Trump? Maybe he will strike some sort of bargain with Taiwan. But whatever Taiwan can offer him, Beijing can easily top. More and more, there are those in Taiwan who say we are an “abandoned chess piece,” no longer valued by the United States. China amplifies these fears...
◆ Wall Street Journal, 2024-11-18	Some in Taiwan say its survival as a self-ruled democracy is at stake, that it can't afford to spend what Trump demands on defense and that it would wither in the crossfire of a U.S.-China trade war. Taiwan's military spending is currently at 2.45% of GDP—a lower share than Singapore's 2.8% and South Korea's 2.7%; In Washington, the percent of GDP is really seen as a proxy for your seriousness.
◆ New York Times, 2024-11-10	Taiwan's leading chip makers may face demands from the Trump administration to locate more production in the United States. Taiwan has already been raising its military spending, partly under pressure from Washington. But Mr. Trump has said that Taiwan should raise military spending to 10 percent of its gross domestic product (from about 2.6 percent). Sharply increasing military spending could be politically difficult for Taiwan's president. Beijing, for its part, appears poised to exploit any signs of discord between Washington and Taipei.
◆ Fox News, 2024-11-10	Trump's public comments might suggest that he would not be willing to put boots on the ground to face another global superpower in defense of a tiny island democracy (Taiwan). there is hope among restraint groups that Trump will be focused on economic warfare with China – rather than military. "We don't have that alliance with Taiwan, ... the Taiwan issue is a powder keg — it's exceedingly dangerous. "
◆ New York Times, 2024-11-6	Some diplomats in Asia expect China to intensify pressure on Taiwan, if not invade the self-governing island it claims as its territory; and China may calculate that Mr. Trump would not go to war for a democracy that he has accused of “stealing” the microchip industry from the United States. “With Donald Trump, there are large amounts of uncertainty,” said Lev Nachman, a political scientist, “And it's a matter of uncertainty that comes with great risk for Taiwan.”
◆ Washington Post, 2024-11-6	Trump's statements this year that raise doubt about his willingness to come to the island democracy's defense and his misleading assertion that Taipei needs to pay the US for defense. Such rhetoric could “fan the flames of skepticism” about American intent at a time when the Taiwanese are “directly threatened by CCP disinformation aimed at undermining U.S. credibility”
◆ New York Times, 2024-11-6 news briefing	Many believe Trump's foreign policy changes could have a greater impact than anything since the start of the Cold War. Trump could decide to do the true “America First” thing and withdraw completely, and basically say, "defending Taiwan is not in our interest.” But I doubt he's going to actually do that...
◆ Business Insider, 2024-11-9	In 2025, Taiwan will have to contend with uncertainty on whether the US will protect it, or play it.
◆ Bloomberg, 2024-11-5	Taiwan's Economic Affairs Minister acknowledged that Trump could introduce measures that might prove harmful for Taiwan's semiconductor industry. But the impact will not be as severe as some anticipate.
◆ Reuters, 2024-11-6	From Taiwan to trade, China braces for more rivalry as close US presidential race ends. Trump might try to use the Taiwan issue as a bargaining chip to gain leverage in other areas, such as offering to restrain Taiwan's provocative actions in exchange for Beijing's compromise on trade.

Taiwan has a Trump problem
◆ The Atlantics, 2024-10-25	The shortcomings of Taiwan's military lend some validity to Trump's complaint that America's allies don't pay enough for their own defense and dump too much of the responsibility onto the United States—a burden that a second Trump administration might not be committed to bear.
◆ New York Times, 2024-10-26	Mr. Trump criticized Taiwan, saying that “they stole our chip business”,“They want us to protect, ... They don't pay us money for the protection... The mob makes you pay money, right?”America's heavy reliance on Taiwan's semiconductors has been a growing source of concern among U.S. officials, given China's ongoing threats to invade the self-governing island.

◆ New York Times, 2024-10-22: The frequency of the exercises suggests that China is stepping up its intimidation efforts: The Chinese military has held two such large-scale exercises since Mr. Lai took office in May, the same number that it held over the previous eight years.◆ Wall Street Journal, 2024-10-17: China practiced a military blockade of Taiwan that is an all too real future possibility. Short of Taiwan's surrender, a blockade may be President Xi Jinping's preferred option. All underscores the urgent need to buttress deterrence against a blockade or invasion. This means more civil defense training and military spending in Taiwan, and faster U.S. weapons delivery...The next U.S. President could easily face a Taiwan crisis ◆ Foreign Affairs, 2024-10-16: By almost universal agreement, the Taiwan Strait has emerged as the most combustible flash point in the world. Some have called on the United States to make an unequivocal commitment to defend Taiwan. Others have focused on enhancing Taiwan's defenses. A much smaller number of analysts have advocated cutting a deal with Beijing in which Washington ends its commitment to defending Taiwan and the island is left to fend for itself.◆ Council on Foreign Relations, 2024-10-16: Taiwan and other U.S. partners will need to contend with an increasingly capable and aggressive China and rising isolationism and protectionism in the United States. Trump's foreign policy pronouncements reflect sentiments held by many in the United States.

China's response to a speech by President Lai Ching-te in Taiwan's national day
◆◆New York Times, 2024-10-13	China began holding military drills in areas surrounding Taiwan, a response to a speech by President Lai Ching-te of Taiwan, who said that China had “no right to represent” the island and China and Taiwan were “not subordinate to each other” .
◆◆New York Times, 2024-10-16	David Sacks, a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, said PLA's activities are coming closer and closer to Taiwan shores. China's military drills were aimed at demonstrating its potential to choke Taiwan's access to food and fuel and block the skies and waters from which the United States and its allies would presumably approach in coming to the island's defense. The drills send the message that Taiwan remains so sensitive, so important and crucial for the legitimacy of the Chinese Communist Party”, said Bonnie Glaser.
◆◆le Monde, 2024-10-15	Taiwan announced that it had detected a record 153 Chinese aircraft in one day near its territory. Making Taiwanese air force (fighters) modernization is an acute necessity.
◆◆Bloomberg, 2024-10-15	China sent a record 111 warplanes across a US-drawn boundary in the strait separating the sides.
◆◆BBC, 2024-10-15	the deployment and how close Chinese ships and aircraft were to Taiwan - as well as the fiery rhetoric - could be seen as very aggressive behaviour - a dramatic escalation.
◆◆USA Today, 2024-10-14	China launches "punishment drills" as 'Stern warning'
◆◆BBC, 2024-10-14	"Scared" and "desensitised" - here's how people on the streets of Taipei are talking about China's fresh wave of military exercises - which involved all parts of the military and simulates a full-scale attack.
◆◆Reuters, 2024-10-12	China threatens Taiwan with more trade measures after denouncing president's speech

◆◆ Chicago Council on Global Affairs , 2024-10-8: Should China invade, Americans support arming Taipei but oppose direct military intervention.。A narrow majority of Americans (51%) say the United States should encourage Taiwan to maintain the status quo rather than move toward independence (36%) or unification (4%).
　

If China were to invade Taiwan, would you support or oppose the United States: (% support)
	2024	2023	2022
Using the US military to airlift food and medical supplies to Taiwan	74	78
Imposing economic and diplomatic sanctions on china	72	75	76
Sending additional arms and military supplies to the Taiwanese government	59	62	65
SAending US troops to Taiwan to help the Taiwanese gov. defend itself against China	36	39	40
globalaffairs.org/research/public-opinion-survey/taiwan-americans-favor-status-quo

◆ The American Conservative , 2024-10-11: Although there is widespread agreement in Taiwan that avoiding war is desirable, there is no consensus on whether deterrence through militarization is the best path forward. Conscription, currently set at a year, is far from adequate in preparing Taiwan's youth for the type of civic and military readiness found in nations like Israel or South Korea. There is a prevalent assumption, that America will unquestionably intervene in the event of an invasion. A comprehensive strategy must also aim at fostering political unity, morale, and military readiness in Taiwan
◆ United States Institute of Peace, 2024-10-9: Bloomberg Economics has estimated a war with Taiwan would cost equivalent to 10% of global GDP — China's GDP would suffer a 16.7% blow compared to 40% for what would be a devastated Taiwanese economy. With a far bigger economy than Russia's, China would have more leverage than Moscow to resist U.S.-led efforts to isolate it after an attack on Taiwan.

◆ Economist, 2024-10-3: China is using an "anaconda strategy" to squeeze Taiwan. "They are ready to blockade Taiwan at any time they want", Taiwan's navy commander warns. The number of PLA air incursions across the median line, has jumped more than five-fold, from January to August. The number of PLA ships operating around Taiwan has steadily risen, too, doubling...

China's "coercion short of violence" strategy
◆ Associated Press, 2024-10-5	Beijing could wage an economic and cyber war to force a surrender from Taiwan without direct use of military power, the Foundation for Defense of Democracies said in the report. the U.S. government has yet to formulate a plan to respond to non-military tactics, giving Beijing flexibility in working to undermine Taiwan without triggering an outright response from Washington...
◆ Foreign Policy, 2024-10-4	Taiwan's greatest vulnerabilities extend beyond its military ── financial, cybersecurity, and energy risks that China could exploit.
◆ Foundation of Defense of Democracies, 2024-10-4	the “most likely” scenario: Sometime in the next decade, China will combine economic coercion, malicious cyber activity, and limited military moves short of kinetic attacks to break Taiwan's societal and/or economic resilience and force a major adjustment in its policy toward unification. fdd.org/analysis/2024/10/04/targeting-taiwan/
◆ Brookings, 2024-10-3	China's leaders appear determined to show directional progress toward their goal of asserting control over Taiwan. Beijing is pursuing two parallel paths, significant military build-up and "coercion without violence" to compel the people of Taiwan to accept some form of union with the People's Republic of China as a least bad option for Taiwan's future. Harris said in 2022 that the United States would “support Taiwan's self-defense, consistent with our longstanding policy.”. Trump's disdain for alliances and security partnerships, though, negatively impacted Taiwan by calling into question the reliability of America's security commitments. The common thread among these utterances is Trump (team) suggestion that Taiwan is too small and far away for the United States to feel obliged to defend.
◆ American Enterprise Institute , 2024-5-3	From Coercion to Capitulation: How China Can Take Taiwan Without a War / (1) uses economic carrots and sticks, information operations, and military escalation to convince the US and Taiwan that their cooperation directly precipitates further escalation (2) Economic warfare, cyberwarfare, sabotage, rigorous (and pseudo-legal) inspections of ships carrying goods to Taiwan, air and sea closures, electronic warfare, and propaganda (3) break the Taiwanese public's will to resist by intimidating supporters of resistance, sowing doubt and fear ... (4) information campaigns aim to decrease the US public's and political leadership's willingness to support Taiwan. aei.org/research-products/report/from-coercion-to-capitulation-how-china-can-take-taiwan-without-a-war/

: ◆ New York Times, 2024-9-25: Taiwan and U.S. Work to Counter China's Drone Dominance , a move that would also help blunt any threats posed to the island by China. “Security and intellectual property risks are real but manageable with the right safeguards”◆ Council on Foreign Relations, 2024-9-25: today China's outmatches Taiwan's both in size and quality, U.S. defense officials say it does not yet have the ability to carry out a successful amphibious assault on the island amid a U.S. military intervention on Taiwan’s behalf. ◆ Wall Street Journal, 2024-9-21: Supply bottlenecks had delayed delivery of weapon systems to Taiwan valued at more than $20 billion. Unlike Ukraine or Israel, Taiwan's geography as an island makes resupplying its military a bigger challenge. Military experts in the West are particularly concerned that China could try to force Taiwan to capitulate with a blockade.Taiwan needs to be as independent as possible to be able to replenish its weapon systems.

China's strategy to annex Taiwan
◆ Brookings, 2024-9-16	What Taiwan most fears—an amphibious invasion—is currently beyond the PLA's reach. Beijing has developed two different means—military and coercive—to achieve its political objective of unification.Both require the resolve of Taiwan leaders and the public, plus a capable military to enhance deterrence. The U.S. commitment to the island's security remains critical. brookings.edu/articles/why-does-the-us-security-partnership-with-taiwan-matter/
◆ Financial Times, 2024-9-19	The scale of China's military activity is getting larger and larger, and so it is harder to discern when they might be shifting from training to a large exercise, and from an exercise to war. military moves below the threshold of war poses challenge to Taiwan's defences.ft.com/content/3402d159-418c-4485-abb4-7e2155288d61
◆ Politico, 2024-9-11	Nearly three in four Americans are concerned about a potential invasion of Taiwan, according to the latest Reagan National Defense Survey. And, Washington has fixated on a potential 2027 invasion scenario. China's strategy to annex Taiwan is more about cyber power than firepower

U.S. SEAL Team Six ── resisting China's invasion ?
◆ Insider, 2024-9-18	A Navy SEAL unit that killed Osama bin Laden may be training Taiwanese forces to defeat a possible Chinese invasion. The US has become more hawkish about the possibility of defending Taiwan if China ever invades.
◆ Voice of America, 2024-9-14	the secret and precise combat characteristics of the United States Navy's elite SEAL Team Six mean its role in resisting China's invasion of Taiwan would be very limited and the focus would be on carrying out special tasks.
◆ Financial Times, New York Post, 2024-9-12	SEAL Team Six has spent more than a year training for possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan. However, the US has so far declined to explicitly say it would come to Taiwan's aid if attacked.

◆ Politico, 2024-9-11: Nearly three in four Americans are concerned about a potential invasion of Taiwan, according to the latest Reagan National Defense Survey. And, Washington has fixated on a potential 2027 invasion scenario. But, China's strategy to annex Taiwan is more about cyber power than firepower ◆ Economist, 2024-9-5: Taiwan needs to hold out long enough for friends to come to its aid, but polls suggest the will to resist rests, in turn, on whether Taiwanese think America will defend them. Taiwan can do much to strengthen its defences but, alas, it can do little to influence American politics ◆ Wall Street Journal, 2024-9-2: Elbridge Colby's argument has always been that Taiwan isn't itself of existential importance to America. Rather, our core interest is in denying China regional hegemony over Asia. Taiwan is very important for that goal, but not essential ◆ Wall Street Journal, 2024-8-28: Elbridge Colby suggested the U.S. may not come to Taiwan's defense in the event of Chinese aggression. Robert O'Brien urged Taiwan to spend at least 5% of its gross domestic product on defense.◆ Insider, 2024-8-29: Taiwan is rethinking its use of US-made anti-tank missiles after less than half hit their targets in recent combat drills.

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The Chair of TPP (third largest party), Ko Wen-je, was arrested
★ Financial Times (UK), 2024-9-6	Prosecutors' swift moves against Cheng (former premier 鄭文燦) and Ko Wen-je (Chairman of TPP) have prompted Taiwanese commentators to question whether president Lai was “cleaning house” of political rivals or pushing an anti-corruption crackdown to win back public support (divert attention from the current chaos in domestic politics.). ... investigators typically sounded out their superiors before proceeding with big cases, especially those involving vested interests or politicians. “In a case like this, a signal would have been given from above before they go and detain him".
★ Council on Foreign Relations, 2024-9-3	Ko Wen-je──accuses the government of attempting to “suppress” its opponents and the press and judiciary of “being the government’s political tools.”
★ Asia Nikkei (Japan), 2024-9-5	Ko Wen-je accuses government of witch hunt ... and launched broadsides against the legal system and the press, accusing them of doing the bidding of President Lai Ching-te's Democratic Progressive Party..."the judiciary and the media being the government's political tools" ( the KMT's most powerful lawmaker, that most legal professionals only listen to the DPP)

◆ Financial Times, 2024-8-22: Taiwan's top security officials make secret trip to US for talks. The US has grown increasingly concerned about rising Chinese military activity around Taiwan. Some US officials are also privately nervous about Lai, who is inexperienced in foreign affairs and seen as more unpredictable than Tsai. ◆ Atlantic Council, 2024-8-21: The period between delivery and integration is often invisible to the public. The US should be focused not only on what Taiwan may need to deter and defeat China, but also on what can be quickly integrated into Taiwan's military. ◆ National Public Radio, 2024-8-19: instead of just sending signals to Beijing or just sending weapons, arms to Taiwan, People really want to know whether the U.S. Navy or marine forces will help Taiwan to defend itself ◆ New York Times, 2024-8-21: President Biden approved in March a highly classified nuclear plan that reorients America's deterrent strategy to focus on the rapid expansion of China's nuclear arsenal. The Pentagon believes China's stockpiles will rival those of the U.S. and Russia over the next decade.◆ National Interest, 2024-8-17: Tensions between China and Taiwan threaten to boil over. Multiple experts, including this author, believe some kind of major Chinese move against the island democracy is at hand. Instead of mirroring U.S. military capabilities, Taiwan should invest in anti-aircraft defenses, coastal defense batteries, hypersonic weapons, drones, and widespread civilian armament.

◆ The i (UK), 2024-8-16: Emboldened by Russia's actions in Ukraine, Chinese President Xi Jinping has vowed to use any force necessary to take Taiwan back, putting his military on notice to be ready for a full-scale invasion by 2027, UK and US intelligence agencies understand.◆ Council on Foreign Relations, 2024-8-9: Taiwan's President, Lai Ching-te, has unveiled plans to increase defense spending by nearly six percent. Taiwan should do all it can to prepare for the worst and mounts a stiff resistance if deterrence fails. To that end, Taiwan's leaders should embrace a new defense spending target of five percent of GDP ( Israel's 2022 defense spending totaled 4.5 percent of GDP) and rapidly meet that goal through yearly double-digit percentage increases ◆ Washington Post, Star and Strips, 2024-8-4: Taiwan's slow progress on boosting training concerns military experts ... Matt Pottinger says that Taiwan needs the political will and foresight to dedicate some of its best military officers to recruitment and instruction. “I'm really hoping that Taiwan makes these sacrifices" ◆ National Interest, 2024-7-30: An invasion would be swift and sharp. Taiwan spends less as a percentage of GDP on its defense than the US. On top of that, Taiwan does not have a strong draft. Taiwan's politicians likely realize better than Washington that Taiwanese voters may not be as inclined to make the kind of heavy sacrifices that are necessary to defend their freedom as the Ukrainians, Israelis... ◆ Bloomberg, 2024-7-30: Taiwan President Lai Ching-te pledged to work with other democracies around the world to stand up to China, and “continue to push for defense autonomy” and weapons procurement from overseas, his comments likely to deepen his rift with Beijing.◆ Bloomberg (2024-7-24): China squeezes Taiwan by targeting islands and fishing Sites ── The Chinese Coast Guard is now “constantly” patrolling east of the median line in the Taiwan strait; It's likely that China will increasingly harass fishing boats and sightseeing boats to test Taiwan's response, China's detention of the vessel may also be a subtle test of the US.

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Taiwan's Annual Han Kuang exercise ── People don't realise the stage of infancy the military is in, said expert of the Atlantic Council.
◆ Newsweek , 2024-7-22	This year's drills are designed to better reflect the uncertainties of actual warfare...participating troops are not being briefed on where or when the "enemy" would strike and with what weapons systems, as a result of the added uncertainties of the new format,...assess how Taiwanese forces would handle a decentralized command structure in the event they are cut off from headquarters, as could happen should Chinese air strikes disable communications infrastructure before any invasion.
◆ Deutsche Welle (Germany), 2024-7-22	Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense said that this year's drill will probe the island nation's ability to protect critical infrastructure in the capital and help refine the resilience of key facilities throughout the country.
◆ Financial Times (UK), 2024-7-21	This year's drill pivots from scripted performances to realistic battlefield scenarios to address the Taiwan military's core problem, which is operational-level and tactical-level decision-making,”"Their structure is very hierarchical, almost Soviet-style." The biggest problem was the general staff's planning process, they need to learn to adapt operational plans to a changing situation in wartime in rapid, live planning cycles.
◆ Barron's, AFP (France), 2024-7-22	Japan has reportedly concluded that a ground landing in Taiwan by Chinese troops would now be "possible in less than a week" instead of the previous estimate of a month.
◆ FoxNews, 2024-7-23	drills video https://foxnews.com/video/6359009563112

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◆ New York Times, 2024-7-17: Donald J. Trump said that Taiwan should pay the United States for defending it from China, a remark highlighting the uncertainties — and high stakes — of how he might handle the smoldering Taiwan Strait dispute ◆ Wall Street Journal, 2024-7-18: As if to remind everyone, Mr. Trump is casually signaling that the U.S. might not defend Taiwan from a Chinese assault.◆ New York Times, 2024-7-16: many Taiwanese officials are convinced that their island will be vulnerable unless it quickly steps up preparedness. some experts argue that the island should lengthen conscription — already extended recently to 12 months ◆ Bloomberg, TIME, 2024-7-11: China sent a record number of warplanes across a U.S.-drawn boundary in the Taiwan Strait—a move that comes as the new president of the archipelago mulls a trip that may include a stop in America ◆ Le Monde, 2024-7-11: Taiwan reports record-high Chinese military aircraft activity in 24 hours ◆ Financial Times (2024-7-10):Experts warn that Taiwan remains woefully underprepared for war. A bigger challenge would be overhauling bureaucratic structures and procedures. War games and other assessments of Taiwan's defence readiness have repeatedly highlighted a lack of co-ordination between different government departments and the civilian and military bureaucracy.

China seized Taiwan boat with crew for fishing illegally - a move could add to tensions between Beijing and President Lai Ching-te of Taiwan.
◆ New York Times, 2024-7-3	China Seizes Taiwanese Fishing Boat in Latest Uptick in Tensions; Bonnie Glaser: China wants to demonstrate to Taiwan that it does not have control over air space and sea space...and sends a signal to Lai that he is very close to their red lines and he had better not cross them.
◆ CNN, 2024-7-3	China's coast guard detains Taiwan fishing boat near frontline islands; three Taiwan coast guard vessels answered a call for help but retreated to avoid conflict when they were outnumbered by their Chinese counterparts.
◆ Bloomberg, 2024-7-3	China sees Lai as pushing for independence for the US-backed island...Officials in Taipei have also expressed concern that China will detain more individuals from the island to pile pressure on Lai.

◆ Washington Post, 2024-7-1: China: Taiwan's leadership, along with its supporters in the United States, is pursuing “separation” from China in “incremental” fashion. ◆ Washington Examiner, 2024-7-2: Xi Jinping's regime is setting the legal and diplomatic table for a crackdown on Taiwan while blaming the United States for the growing possibility of war over the island democracy... “The Chinese government has the right to expel this regime..." The ominous rhetoric seems to express in part Xi's displeasure with Lai Ching-Te ◆ The Atlantic Council, 2024-6-27: Taiwanese officials have rejected not only that interpretation but also Beijing’s claim that Taipei agreed to its view of “one China” when forming the “1992 consensus” at a semiofficial meeting in Hong Kong that year. The 'consensus' term was artificially coined nearly a decade after the meeting. There was no actual consensus, even according to Taiwan’s president in 1992, between Beijing and Taipei about the status of Taiwan with respect to the PRC. ◆ Wall Street Journal, 2024-6-23: Lai Ching-te said he aimed to make Taiwan the “Asian center for the democratic drone supply chain."; Taiwan has the know-how to build its own unmanned aircraft, now it is a question of scale. The overwhelming majority of the types of small, inexpensive drones that are having the greatest impact on battlefields are made in China ◆ New York Times, 2024-6-17 : the United States' chief representative in Taiwan advices: Avoid panic about China's combative language and moves, but don't grow numb to the risks. ◆ New York Times, 2024-6-11 : Hardly any nations besides U.S. allies have imposed sanctions on Russia. Isolating China, if it attacked Taiwan, would be an even taller task. ◆ Washington Post, 2024-6-6:China's gray zone strategy on Taiwan is gathering in intensity; The West must strongly deter — without foreclosing a future reconciliation between Taipei and Beijing ◆ United States Institute of Peace , 2024-6-6:Given Lai Ching-te's tougher line on China and Beijing's unyielding position on Taiwan, it's unlikely that cross-Strait relations will improve or that tensions will lower anytime soon. Washington should remain laser-focused on helping Taiwan defend itself and deter military conflict.

The US defends Taiwan ?

◆ TIME, 2024-6-4

Asked by Time magazine whether The US might involve boots on the ground, US President Joe Biden said, "It would depend on the circumstances""we are not seeking independence for Taiwan nor will we in fact, not defend Taiwan if they if, if China unilaterally tries to change the status...Not ruling out using US military force. There's a distinction between deploying on the ground, air power and naval power, etc"

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China's 'reunification' with Taiwan
◆ Reuters, 2024-6-2	Prospect of peaceful 'reunification' with Taiwan is being increasingly "eroded" by Taiwanese separatists and external forces (alluded to Washington), China says
◆ Wall Street Journal, 2024-6-2	Taiwanese political security, not simply military deterrence and rhetorical balancing, are key to Chinese success.

★

China Launches Military Drills Around Taiwan as 'Punishment', 'Reprisals'
◆ Washington Examiner, 2024-5-31	Foreign Affairs : invasion does not appear to be China's preferred option. Beijing's more probable plan is to gradually intensify the policy: a creeping encroachment into Taiwan's airspace, maritime space, and information space. The United States must become more alert to the dangers posed by a slow strangulation of Taiwan.
◆ FoxNews, 2024-5-28	House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul said : "These war games to intimidate and protest the election from China are probably the most provocative I've ever seen in terms of the numbers of ships and planes", "we will probably lose if China invaded Taiwan."
◆ New York Times, 2024-5-27	“The United States must maintain the capacity to resist any resort to force or coercion that would jeopardize the security of the people of Taiwan,” Mr. McCaul, the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said.
◆ New York Post, 2024-5-24	Beijing's endless saber-rattling over Taiwan proves just how high the stakes are for the United States.
◆ New York Times, 2024-5-22	China took offense to Mr. Lai's assertion that — they “are not subordinate to each other” — and his emphasis on Taiwan's democratic identity and warnings against threats from China. Beijing accused Mr. Lai of promoting formal independence for Taiwan ── the drill was “based on various stages of an invasion of Taiwan... might feature training to seize one of those islands".
◆ BBC, 2024-5-23	the ongoing exercise is aimed at "simulating a full-scale armed invasion of Taiwan"... for the first time also targeted the Taipei-controlled islands of Kinmen, Matsu, Wuqiu and Dongyin. China aims to show Taipei that its east is now exposed to Chinese attack, and to show the Americans that any effort to resupply or re-enforce Taiwan from the east is vulnerable to Chinese missile strikes and naval attack.
◆ AFP, 2024-5-23	China holds war games around Taiwan, vows flowing blood。 CCTV : the drills were partly aimed at rehearsing an economic blockade of the island, "strangle" Taiwan's critical Kaohsiung port to "severely impact" its foreign trade, and cut off "Taiwan's lifeline of energy imports" as well as "block the support lines that some US allies provide to 'Taiwan independence' forces". General S. Sklenka described the exercises as "concerning" but not unexpected.
◆ CNN, 2024-5-22	CCTV: creating an omnidirectional approach in pushing toward the island. An expert ( at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace) calls China's latest drills “an intimidation tactic, part of a pattern, not a sign of imminent war.” Beijing has a robust coercion kitbag from which it will mix and match, ratchet up and back and up again to signal its range of options to coerce and inflict pain。
◆ AFP, 2024-5-22	China slammed the inauguration speech of new Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te as a " downright 'confession of Taiwan independence'"

◆ New York Times, 2024-5-20: Taiwan's president, Lai Ching-te vows to keep the island democracy safe in the face of Chinese pressure and wars raging abroad that have fed uncertainty over Western staying power. "Peace through strength" is going to be his main posture ; Lai's opponents in Taiwan say that he risks driving the island down a security dead end — unable to talk with Beijing and yet ill prepared for any confrontation. ◆ Washington Post, 2024-5-20: Taiwan swears in new president, the ruling party DPP has transformed the island democracy into a bulwark against Chinese aggression and brushed off increasingly ominous threats from Beijing; the perception is that Lai Ching-te's policy could be more provocative compared to Tsai's policy ◆ Reuters, 2024-5-20: Lai Ching-te takes office as Taiwan's new president facing an angry and deeply suspicious China which believes he is a "separatist", and a fractious parliament with an opposition chomping at the bit to challenge him. ◆ Foreign Affairs, 2024-5-15: Only when Washington was able to convince Moscow that it was serious about defending the city did the Soviets blink and pull back from confrontation. Today, a similarly muscular deterrence strategy to convince China that an invasion of Taiwan would trigger catastrophic consequences is the United States' best chance to achieve a similar détente with China. If the United States can avoid a crisis over Taiwan in the next few years, China's economic and demographic weaknesses will likely force Beijing into making more and more compromises full text

◆ War On The Rocks, 2024-5-15: Zelensky: "I need ammunition, not a ride"; Whereas Ukraine was focused on acquiring military aid, Taiwan will almost certainly be asking potential allies to engage in a direct military intervention. Instead of focusing on ideology, Taiwan might be better served by appealing to the core security interests of the United States and its regional partners. ◆ Foreign Policy, 2024-5-12: China and the U.S. are numb to the real risk of war. The pair are dangerously close to the edge of nuclear war over Taiwan—again. ◆ Business Insider, 2024-5-10: China is untangling its economy from the West. It could be preparing for long-term tensions — and an invasion of Taiwan. ◆ Defense News, 2024-5-7: DC became obsessed with a potential 2027 Chinese invasion of Taiwan. But experts said Chinese law doesn't have timelines for an attack on Taiwan;“All politicians want options, so the last thing you want is to be tied to a deadline.” ◆ Bloomberg, 2024-5-2: China, Russia militaries work closer on Taiwan. “We see China and Russia, for the first time, exercising together in relation to Taiwan...", Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines said in testimony to Congress. ◆ New York Times, 2024-5-3: U.S. officials came to think that Mr. Xi would try to invade only if he believed he would succeed in a relatively bloodless operation before American troops responded... U.S. SM-6 missile seemed right for the job. ◆ Financial Times, 2024-5-3: Instead of trying to defeat China’s vastly superior air and naval forces head-on, Taiwan should ensure that any force attempting to come ashore would be slaughtered. The US have long urged Taipei down that road... ◆ TIME, 2024-5-1: Communist China's leaders “have to understand that things like that can't come easy,” Trump says, but he declines to say whether he would come to Taiwan's defense. ◆ National Interest, 2024-5-1: To defend Taiwan, America needs to upgrade its defense-industrial base. Both America and its allies are now deeply preoccupied by events in other portions of the globe, which could lead the CCP to believe that it should strike while the United States is spread thin. ◆ The Telegraph, 2024-5-1: ... Beijing's hypersonic missiles and nuclear weapons – not to enable an attack on Taiwan at a chosen date, but to ensure that with the balance of power changing in China's favour, it will not be needed. Xi is betting on political disarray and disunity among the US and his Western allies ◆ ABC News, 2024-5-1: The US is in a Cold War with China over Taiwan. Taiwan is really existential to U.S. interests because of its position in the region; whoever controls Taiwan, really controls that Indo-Pacific region. Does China's economy make them more likely to invade Taiwan or less likely? It may very well drive Xi if he thinks that he's not going to catch up with the United States in terms of being the biggest economy, it may drive him to go for this sooner.◆ Wall Street Journal, 2024-4-30: Taiwan's economy got off to a strong start this year, boosted by strong exports as global demand for electronics picks up, benefiting the producer of high-end chips. The research firm projects Taiwan’s economic growth at 5.5% this year, well above consensus views.

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◆ New York Times, 2024-4-23: in the Foreign Aid Package, the House attached a provision that would allow the Pentagon to quickly provide Taiwan with more offensive weapons and provides billions more for the purchase of advanced U.S. weapons technology as the U.S. and Taiwanese governments continue to build up their alliances to deter China from invading the island. ◆ USNI News, 2024-4-23: Report to Congress on Taiwan Defense Issues - A key consideration for U.S. policymakers is whether and if so how to support Taiwan’s ability to defend itself in a possible cross-Strait conflict without triggering such a conflict. ◆ New York Times, 2024-4-18: The House is set to vote on a foreign aid package for Taiwan - allow the Pentagon to quickly provide Taiwan with more offensive weapons and provides billions more for the purchase of advance U.S. weapons technology as the U.S. and Taiwanese governments continue to build up their alliances to deter China from launching an invasion ◆ Economist, 2024-4-18: China is talking to Taiwan's next leader, just not directly ... being granted an audience with Xi Jinping, Ma Ying-jeou (Taiwan's former president ) wrote that Mr Xi had “extended an olive branch to us”. Mr Ma hoped that Lai Ching-te, Taiwan's next president, would “put the people first and respond pragmatically”. ◆ Wall Street Journal, 2024-4-15: Appointing a national-security team that is almost identical to that of his predecessor will help reassure the White House that Lai isn't likely to sharply alter Taiwan's posture toward Beijing; Bringing a civilian into the defense ministry can promote reforms, Taiwan's military will likely accelerate spending on asymmetric capabilities, a path that many in Washington have called for as Taiwan focuses on deterring an attack by a much larger Chinese military ◆ Wall Street Journal, 2024-4-13: many of Kinmen's (Taiwan's front-line, just 3 miles away from mainland) residents have much more direct kinship ties to people on the mainland. The use of force against Kinmen would signal that China can no longer hope to win the rest of Taiwan through anything but force, and would make such an invasion that much more difficult. ◆ New York Times, 2024-4-10: China's immediate focus is to push the incoming Lai Ching-te administration to adopt a more accommodating political stance on cross-strait relations. China has brushed off Mr. Lai's offers to talk as insincere. On the other hand, Beijing has shown that it will court friendlier Taiwanese politicians, like Mr. Ma, who accept the framework for relations demanded by Beijing: that both sides accept that they are part of one China, even if they differ on what that means. ◆ CNN, 2024-4-10: It's the first time a former president of Taiwan has been hosted by China's top leader in Beijing since Chiang Kai-shek's KMT fled to Taipei in 1949. Their reunion highlights the widening political divide across the Taiwan Strait, and is a signal to Taiwan and others that peaceful unification through winning over hearts and minds remains Beijing's preferred option ◆ Fox News, 2024-4-6: The largest coordinated display since last year - The incursion into Taiwanese territory by People's Liberation Army (PLA) planes and sea vessels followed a Tuesday phone call between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden. ◆ New York Times, 2024-4-3: In a rare call, Biden spoke with Xi. China said that Xi had called for “concrete actions” to demonstrate a U.S. commitment not to support Taiwan's independence. ◆ War on The Rocks, 2024-4-4: The comparative analysis suggests that a crisis in northeast Asia is more likely to start on the Korean Peninsula, not in Taiwan.

7.4-magnitude earthquake struck off Taiwan
◆ Fortune, 2024-4-4	TSMC said its fabrication plants recovered 70% of tools within 10 hours of the earthquake, and that its “critical tools,” such as its multimillion-dollar extreme ultraviolet lithography tools, remain unharmed... its massive chip foundry mega-complexes are nearly quake-proof.
◆ New York Times, 2024-4-4	Taipei 101, once the tallest building in the world, still, some experts say that more needs to be done to either strengthen or demolish structures that don't meet standards, and such calls have grown louder in the wake of the latest earthquake. The government had also helped reinforce private apartment buildings over the past six years by adding new steel braces and increasing column and beam sizes...
◆ USA Today, 2024-4-4	The island's two nuclear power stations remain unaffected. Nvidia said it expects no supply disruptions from the earthquake. Taiwan, prone to earthquakes, sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” where 90% of the world's temblors take place. It felt strong in Taipei because of the “basin effect,” which occurs when earthquake reverberations become trapped in soft ground.
◆ ABC News, 2024-4-3	TSMC, one of the biggest companies in Taiwan's crucial semiconductor manufacturing industry, said its safety systems were operating normally and that some fabrication plants had been evacuated as a preventive measure.
◆ LA Times, 2024-4-4	Just recognizing that the fault didn't get near a major population center is probably the most important factor that reduced the damage. Some residents voiced concerns about the alert system because not everyone was notified.
◆ United Daily (聯合報), 2024-4-4	Why didn't most of Taiwanese receive government's national alert ? Why did the government make such a serious misjudgment ? udn.com/news/story/7338/7876798?from=udn-catehotnews_ch2
◆ TIME, 2024-4-4	China offered earthquake aid to Taiwan—Taiwan's quick rejection likely stemmed, experts say, from lingering bitterness over how the 1999 earthquake was handled.

◆ National Interest, 2024-3-30 : Xi Jinping's statement in December 2023 hinted at possible invasion plans. Experts suggest Taiwan should pivot to insurgency tactics, including bolstering coastal defenses, developing hypersonic weapons, deploying massive numbers of drones, creating electromagnetic spectrum jammers, and distributing small arms widely among the population. ◆ Fox News, 2024-3-27 : Taiwan stands as major line of defense against global war with China, A change in Taiwan's status might not directly threaten the U.S. homeland in the immediate term, but it would irreversibly alter regional dynamics in ways that would benefit America's chief geopolitical adversary ◆ New York Times, 2024-3-28 : Taiwan's top diplomat says a Russian victory could embolden China to move against Taiwan and would fuel anti-American propaganda ◆ New York Times, 2024-3-24 : Larger, more menacing military actions are possible, especially after Mr. Lai's inauguration. Any conciliatory messages in Mr. Lai's presidential inauguration speech were unlikely to shift China's strategy -“The gray zone operations against Taiwan will become more intense”... only a few thousand troops on Kinmen, giving Kinmen little immediate protection if China ever decided to invade. Mr. Xi probably won't make any big decisions over Taiwan before the United States' presidential election ◆ War On The Rocks, 2024-3-21 : Military analysts have proposed denying air superiority to China via mobile surface-to-air missiles and drones and creating a “prickly fortress of sea denial” with road-mobile anti-ship missiles; The naval mines make it easier to channel Chinese forces into areas where they are most vulnerable to Taiwan's anti-ship missiles, gun batteries, and drones ◆ Bloomberg, 2024-3-20 : China on track to be ready for Taiwan invasion by 2027, US says / the leader of the Indo-Pacific Command testified China is building its military and nuclear arsenal on a scale not seen since World War II and all signs suggest it's sticking to ambitions to be ready to invade Taiwan by 2027 ◆ Wall Street Journal, 2024-3-18 : U.S. officials and military scholars have long believed that the expensive hardware is apt to get wiped out by China's much larger military, in the early stages of attack. For the past few years, Taiwan's procurement, under U.S. pressure, has put more emphasis on asymmetrical weapons such as Harpoon antiship missiles, Himars rocket launchers and mines. but if China amasses forces around the island in a blockade, or if Beijing's military establishes a firm beachhead on Taiwan. In such scenarios, small, short-range weapons could be less effective at degrading the enemy, Taiwanese defense officials say.

Taiwan Confirms US Troops on Front-Line Islands Near China
◆ Wall Street Journal, 2024-3-20	Taiwan acknowledges presence of U.S. troops on outlying islands / The U.S. planned to expand its presence of troops in Taiwan to between 100 and 200 last year, up from roughly 30 in 2022. The U.S. and Taiwan have been largely silent on the deployment as they attempt to avoid agitating Beijing while they work to fortify Taiwan against a potential Chinese invasion.
◆ Taiwan News, 2024-3-21	US commander denies permanently stationing troops on Taiwan's outer island

◆ New York Times, 2024-3-14 : Taiwan is building a satellite network without Elon Musk. China is Tesla's largest market outside of the United States. Musk has made comments endorsing the Chinese Communist Party's stance on Taiwan. ◆ War On The Rocks, 2024-3-14 : U.S. public support for Taiwan, which is as high as it has ever been according to polls, supports aiding Taiwan to defend itself against China in the event of an attack, but consistently opposes any direct military intervention by the United States. ◆ Foreign Policy, 2024-3-14 : Taiwan imports 97 percent of its energy through highly vulnerable maritime shipping routes. Any quarantine, blockade, or invasion of the island by China would devastate its ability to sustain basic services and critical infrastructure—not to mention the factories that produce approximately 90 percent of the world's most advanced semiconductors. Solutions are in short supply. ◆ Financial Times, 2024-3-11 : Frequently, "grey zone", semi-hostile behaviour, is via fishing boats and coastguard vessels on the fringes of Taiwanese waters, designed, it seems, to keep testing and squeezing Taiwan. China recently sharpened its rhetoric saying it must “fight” Taiwanese independence, rather than “oppose” it, its previous preferred formulation. ◆ CNN (2024-3-10) : the Economist declared that Taiwan was “the most dangerous place on Earth.”; The world's most dangerous place has only gotten more dangerous. Perhaps the extraordinary and rapid growth of China and the reality of America's dominant status made this inevitable, "destined for war" . In the past, Communist China believed that it could wait (reunification) because time was on its side. But that premise is proving untrue. This issue will need to be managed rather than solved —All three sides should keep talking ... ◆ United States Institute of Peace (2024-3-5) : After Taiwan's election, China is now ratcheting up the pressure. China's efforts to change the status quo with Taiwan could lead to unintentional conflict. ◆ Associated Press (2024-3-5): conquest over the self-governing island democracy of Taiwan, driving Indian forces from their disputed border, and asserting control over islands in the East China and South China Sea all on Beijing's list of priorities. ◆ Reuters, 2024-3-5: In the government work report, China reiterated a call for "reunification" with Taiwan, but dropped the descriptor "peaceful", which had been used in previous reports. The change in language is closely watched as a possible sign of more assertive stance towards Taiwan. China raises defence spending by 7.2% ◆ USNI.org, 2024-3-1: Report to Congress on Taiwan Defense and Military Issues / The archipelago's energy, food, water, internet, and other critical infrastructure systems are vulnerable to external disruption. Civil-military relations are strained...Taiwan's civil defense preparedness is insufficient, and its military struggles to recruit, retain, and train personnel. it is not clear what costs—in terms of economic security, physical safety and security, and lives—Taiwan's people would be willing or able to bear in the face of possible PRC armed aggression...renewing U.S. debates about how to allocate limited resources to shore up Taiwan's resilience ◆ New York Times, 2024-2-26: The P.L.A.'s now-normalized presence around Taiwan raises the risk of an accidental confrontation. Taiwan's response has been inconsistent and lacks transparency, which may further embolden Beijing...Taipei's approach to sharing information about Chinese activities with the public has not been fully transparent ◆ Financial Times, 2024-2-27: Chinese research ships increase incursions near Taiwan ◆ Financial Times, 2024-2-23: In the past, China would only talk about the ‘one-China principle’, but now they have rolled it all into one with the push for unification ◆ VOA, 2024-2-23: Taiwan faces tough balancing act as China increases pressure ◆ Yahoo News, 2024-2-24: Trump wouldn't say definitively one way or the other whether he would defend Taiwan. DAVID SACKS: and actually blame Taiwan for taking America's semiconductor industry. So I do think the US presidential election could be a real factor here. ◆ CNN, 2024-2-23: Xi takes a page from Putin as he vows to control Taiwan; Xi is expanding China's military at a pace the world has not seen in a century since before World War II.

◆ Foreign Affairs, 2024-2-20 foreignaffairs.com/scared-strait brief
Raymond Kuo, Michael A. Hunzeker, Mark A. Christopher	GLASER, WEISS, AND CHRISTENSEN reply
(They) argue that Washington and Taiwan are not doing enough to assure Beijing of their intentions, in the process undermining deterrence in the Taiwan Strait.... providing more assurances will simply embolden Beijing to continue its threatening behavior. Conditional, credible consequences are now essential to encouraging a less bellicose Chinese policy...when deterrence is needed against a determined and capable rival, assurances that are not reciprocated can quickly become concessions.	we did not advocate an “assurance first” strategy that offers “concessions” to appease Beijing... the new military measures we think are needed for deterrence will be less effective if Beijing believes they are aimed at buttressing a unilateral assertion of independence by Taiwan or ... an alliance... China can attack out of fear. They may believe that Taiwan can safely assert permanent sovereign independence as long as there is sufficient military might in place to dissuade Beijing from attacking. If so, they are hardly alone, but we strongly disagree.

◆ CNN, 2024-2-19: China ramps up patrols near Taiwan's outlying islands following death of Chinese fishermen. The patrols are likely to put Chinese coast guard vessels in closer proximity to their Taiwanese counterparts, potentially raising the risk of miscalculation and conflict. ◆ Financial Times