If China Blockades Taiwan’s Air and Maritime Space, Could a Full-Scale War Follow?

Video Above: Roundtable’s Rob Nelson Interviews Kris Osborn on China and Taiwan tensions, and what it means for the U.S.

By Kris Osborn – President & Editor-In-Chief, Warrior Maven

It is possible that China could attempt an air and maritime blockade around Taiwan as part of a broad strategy to pressure the country into surrender, according to a new DoD report on the People’s Republic of China.

Certainly many potential contingencies and scenarios regarding just how exactly China might seek to take over Taiwan have likely been explored in great depth, yet it seems quite significant that the Pentagon’s annual China report raises concern about a specific possibility. Citing People’s Liberation Army “writings,” the Pentagon report says China may pursue a dual-pronged strategy including a Joint Blockade, missile strikes and a “seizure” of Taiwan’s offshore islands.

Joint Blockade Campaign

“PLA writings describe a Joint Blockade Campaign in which the PRC would employ kinetic blockades of maritime and air traffic, including a cut-off of Taiwan’s vital imports, to force Taiwan’s capitulation. Large-scale missile strikes and possible seizures of Taiwan’s offshore islands would accompany a Joint Blockade in an attempt to achieve a rapid Taiwan surrender,” DoD’s 2021 Report on Military and Security Developments involving the People’s Republic of China, states.

Given that Taiwan is only roughly 100 miles from the coast of mainland China, maintaining a large, concentrated Naval force surrounding the island would not likely be difficult for the 320-ship-strong PLA Navy. 

Furthermore, Chinese drones and fighters would likely have little trouble establishing air superiority around the perimeter of the Tawianese coastline, particularly if aircraft avoided flying directly over air defenses on the main island.