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| Southeast Asia |
| Taiwan Tests Responses in Event of Attack by China |
| 2007-04-10 |
| TAIPEITaiwan kicked off a month of military exercises on Tuesday designed to test the island's defences in the event of attack by giant neighbour China, which considers the island its own. The exercises come amid calls for Taiwan to move forward with plans to buy advanced weapons from the United States, which recognises Beijing's "one China" policy but is Taiwan's biggest arms supplier. The first exercise was aimed at testing the military's ability to protect leaders and ensure continuity of government in the event of attack, the National Security Council said in a statement. As part of that drill, in which much of the island ground to a halt for a half hour, President Chen Shui-bian was whisked away by armoured car. "Only by deliberating and planning for war in times of peace can we be prepared and trained to respond during times of conflict," Chen was quoted as saying in a statement. China has claimed sovereignty over self-ruled Taiwan since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949. Beijing has vowed to bring the democracy of 23 million people back under mainland rule, by force if necessary. China backs up its threats by aiming over 900 missiles at Taiwan, according to the Taiwan government's estimate. The United States switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China in 1979, but is obliged by the Taiwan Relations Act to help defend the island. Taiwan's military and analysts increasingly feel China would avoid an amphibious invasion to win back the island and rather opt for a surprise attack against key installations and so-called "decapitation strikes" aimed at Taiwan leaders. More exercises will be held next week when the military will use computers to play out a simulated attack by China over five days, said military officers. That will be followed in May by actual military manoeuvres involving the island's army, navy and air force. The exercises would not be affected by a suspected leak of details about the war games by a senior officer, said military officials. A colonel at the National Defense University took computer files containing details of the exercise home, where it is believed they may have been accessed by Chinese hackers, ministry officials have said. |
| Posted by:Ulereger Pheremp2342 |
| #3 If I was Taiwan I would be investing in A) Heavy fortification of Air Fields/Hangars Ports/docks INFASTRUCTURE and especially oversized civil augmented Engineer outfits to make immediate repairs to damaged strips hangars port facilities. B) Pac 3 if possible C) If A & B can secure air fields then go to D. if not then substitute A & B with funding of interstate roads and mobile support for spread out air fighters and dispersed infrastructure. D) air force heavily if A/B option then top notch air dominance fighters if not then Grippen type light mobile short take off ruff strip mobile fighters. C) Anti-Sub-Anti-Air ships to control the sea lanes inbound from the US then small stealthy PT type strike ships to sneak in and hit both the large cargo chicoms with torpedoes & small Assault Ships with 20cal, 50cal or better fire. The Primary Chicom threat to Taiwan is their Ballistic Missiles 2ndary to the growing Chicom Navy/Air force. Stopping the Ballistic Missiles will be extremely hard especially considering the Chicom air force growing threat and Ships firing curies missiles to boot. I would suggest a strategy along the lines of much of Europe small short range fighters spread thought country along highways mobile running cycles holding the air presence and not being absolute defense power but enduring defense buying time for reinforcements. For the navy concentrate convoy escort ships to keep the life lines open and stealthy PT type attack boats to hit enemy ships inbound with supplies. Taiwan cannot outright defeat a Chicom invasion they must contain the damage hold presence in the conventional sinking ships, air craft destroyed, ect...and escorting foreign cargo ships in. Buying time for the US to rally and either declare of have a presence incident that brings them into the game. Worst case would be slowing the defeat until international only pressure can contain the Dragon. The sad part thou is that it looks like Liberalism has invaded Taiwan as bad if not worse than here in the states and they are doing all they can to stop the military from being able to match the Chicom Dragon ya know they are more scared of the âRight Wingersâ who may cause a war with China. Pitiful |
| Posted by: C-Low 2007-04-10 22:28 |
| #2 What happens if the day after the PRC opens the festivities, Taiwan declares its nuclear capabilities, and the day after that Japan has something to say, and the day after that the UN convenes? I suppose we'll see what's more important - liberty or "liberation". |
| Posted by: Grusomp Hapsburg6256 2007-04-10 18:19 |
| #1 I envision the attack by the Mainland to be predicated on one essential mission: to get as many ground forces as possible into Taiwan's cities, quite possibly wearing civilian clothes. This is based on the idea that once they are there, they will be impossible to root out by the Americans. This means that a flotilla will need to cross the Strait carrying huge numbers of personnel. Such a flotilla must be calculated to suffer as high as 90% casualties yet still succeed in its mission. Any other means of infiltration prior to such an attack will greatly increase its likelihood of success. "Immigration" from the Mainland will radically increase in the months prior to the invasion, as will smuggling of weapons and equipment. The invasion itself will be on a strict timetable to decapitate the government and rapidly install a puppet regime. Diplomatically, around the world China will use all its clout to put pressure on the US to "not attack China". For their part, the vicious battles with the Taiwanese, along with attacks on the Mainland by Taiwanese forces will all be accepted as part of the cost of reunification. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2007-04-10 17:09 |