By Jim Morris, Warrior Vice President, News
The new head of the US Indo-Pacific Command said China sent a very clear message with its recent military exercises surrounding Taiwan.
Admiral Samuel Paparo told Japan’s Nikkei news service that the drills “looked like a rehearsal” for an invasion of the island.
“We watched it. We took note. We learned from it. And they helped us prepare for the future,” Paparo said.
China has been ramping up pressure against Taiwan for several years. But last week’s maneuvers were seen as an escalation. Some experts have said that if Beijing moves against the island, it might begin with a blockade or quarantine. Last Friday, China released a video showing an animation of Taiwan being enclosed within a circular target area while simulated missiles hit key targets.
US-China War Scenario
The exercises began three days after the inauguration of Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te, who is loathed by Beijing for being a champion of democracy. And just days after the drills ended, a US congressional delegation visited Taiwan, telling the new president that long-promised weapons are on their way.
Under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, the US is committed to helping Taiwan improve its self-defense capabilities. But lawmakers have complained that there’s a backlog of weapons ordered by the Taiwanese that have not been delivered. According to Defense News, those include Harpoon and Stinger missiles, which have been sent to Ukraine instead.
Still, Paparo said that if a war erupts between China and Taiwan, he’s confident the US and its allies would prevail.
He also told Nikkei that China’s action underscore the importance of a strong relationship between the US, Japan and other partners. He called the ties between the US and Japan “the most important alliance on the planet.” Paparo said in the coming years, he’ll upgrade the command and control relationship with the Japanese Self-Defense Forces.
