March 13, 2005
PRE-EMPT THEM:
Hu puts army on war footing (Stephanie Hoo, March 14, 2005, The Age)
China's President Hu Jintao has told the army to be prepared for war while putting national defence "above all else", in comments today on the eve of the expected passage of a law that would authorise military action against Taiwan if it declares formal independence."We shall step up preparations for possible military struggle and enhance our capabilities to cope with crises, safeguard peace, prevent wars and win the wars if any," the official Xinhua News Agency quoted Hu as saying.
Hu's comments to the 2.5 million-strong People's Liberation Army followed his appointment earlier in the day to the government's Central Military Commission, an appointment that capped a generational transfer of power. [...]
Hu, who took over the largely symbolic military commission post from former President Jiang Zemin, has shown no sign of diverging from Jiang's hardline stance toward Taiwan, a democratically ruled island that Beijing insists is part of the communist mainland.
There's nothing more we really need to know than democratic ally vs. communist foe. If the PRC makes any agressive move at all it should be met with force. Posted by Orrin Judd at March 13, 2005 11:57 PM
The one big thing in Taiwan's favor is that it's hard to mount an amphibious assault. Not only must the PRC reach the beaches, they must retain control of the sealane to land more troops and supplies or risk the beachhead being overrun.
Posted by: Chris Durnell at March 14, 2005 10:35 AMEasy for you to say, oj. Those of us on the west coast will be incinerated first when a military confrontation evolves into nuclear war.
Posted by: Bret at March 14, 2005 11:16 AMChris:
I think the PRC strategy will be to threaten to bombard Taiwan into dust, a la the German air war against Britain, which almost worked. I believe I recently read that they have 800+ missiles directed at Taiwan.
jd:
It's still the same problem though--the Germans could never have crossed the Channel and neither can the ChiComms.
Posted by: oj at March 14, 2005 11:40 AMoj:
I didn't say there was any downside for you.
and after the prc expends itself fighting against taiwan, and has consumed its stores of modern weapons, they are wide open to japan, india, viet name and of course, the u.s.
china can huff and puff all they want, but they aren't going to take the "pot" without showing their cards.
not much love for california today :) ah well at least it was sunny and warm this week-end.
Posted by: cjm at March 14, 2005 1:51 PMHu's on first?
Posted by: Harry Eagar at March 15, 2005 4:51 PM