Communist China’s increasingly belligerent and aggressive actions against Taiwan are intended to do more than just test its defenses or intimidate the politicians and population. They also intend to wear down Taiwan’s military and force the small island nation to spend massive resources to respond to the regular incursions.
This is just another element in China’s Gray Zone strategy in the region.
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) constant naval drills nearby and regular aircraft incursions by the PLA Air Force (PLAAF) are taking a financial toll on Taiwan. As Reuters reports:
In the past few weeks, Chinese fighter jets have crossed the midline of the Taiwan Strait, which normally serves as an unofficial buffer zone, and flown multiple missions into Taiwan’s southwestern air defence identification zone.
In response to all of the PLAAF incursions this year, Reuters noted, Taiwan’s air force has scrambled 2,972 times against Chinese aircraft. To date, this has cost T$25.5 billion (US$886 million), Taiwan Defense Minister said to the Taiwanese parliament.
This nearly US$1 billion expense is significant for a small country like Taiwan with a population of 24 million. Taiwan’s armed forces are well-trained and equipped but dwarfed by China’s mammoth military.
As a comparison, reports Reuters, last year the U.S. approved an $8 billion sale of advanced F-16 Viper jet fighters to the island, “a deal that would bring the island’s total number of the aircraft to more than 200, the largest F-16 fleet in Asia.”
Rather than wasting the money on incessantly intercepting intruding PLAAF jets, that $1billion could buy Taiwan another eight F-16s.
Taiwan’s Defense Ministry has admitted the strain these repeated Chinese drills were placing on them, saying, according to Reuters, “Recently the pressure has been great. To say otherwise would be deceiving people.”
An extended financial war of attrition, with even more drills and incursions, is likely and is just one tactic in China’s Gray Zone Conflict playbook to soften up and wear down Taiwan.
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We need to crush our domestic terrorists (democrats) re-elect our President, and then show China they need to behave.
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I can live with that!
give them fair warning that the next ones that comes into airspace wont be coming back
An air defense identification zone IS NOT territorial airspace. It is still considered INTERNATIONAL airspace. To shoot an aircraft down in such space would be an act of war.
HOWEVER, if a hostile aircraft crosses the 12 mile territorial line after so manny provocations, by all means shoot it down. It’ll still likely start a war, but allies would come to help, hopefully.
nice
Taiwan needs something to jam the Chinese jets systems where they don’t have to launch interceptors until the last minute. Maybe a type of blinding radar, Maybe some type of small unmanned high speed drones that can intercept with out costing an arm and leg to buy and operate. Talk to Israel as they seem to be good at that kind of operations. GOD BLESS and GOOD LUCK.
If Biden wins! (GOD forbid) He will let China eat Taiwan as they have already sold out to China in many ways. Also they may give America to China as a present since the Clintons /Biden and many other DUMBORATS have sold us out too.
Get ready SHTF is about to happen. TRUMP 2020
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