Face-Off: The U.S. vs China Taiwan
22 snips
May 21, 2024 Former professor Lyle Goldstein and Taiwanese expert Syaru Shirley Lin discuss the possibility of US-China war over Taiwan, including historical context, military strategies, global ramifications, Taiwan-China relations, and the imperative of quality diplomacy to prevent conflict.
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Taiwan's Historical and Strategic Importance
- Taiwan has been central to U.S.-China relations since 1949 due to China's national ethos around unification. - The issue is deeply tied to China's historical grievances, especially Japanese occupation and aggression.
Combat Experience Lacking for Taiwan Conflict
- Both Chinese and U.S. militaries lack recent combat experience relevant to a Taiwan conflict. - Combat experience in Afghanistan or Iraq doesn't prepare forces for a high-intensity war with a peer competitor like China.
Porcupine Strategy in Taiwan Defense
- Taiwan's current defense strategy overemphasizes advanced aircraft and ships that could be quickly lost. - The more effective approach is a "porcupine strategy" focusing on land forces and lower-budget systems to resist invasion.