The United States is bolstering its military logistics to offset expected rapid PLA responses to a conflict involving Taiwan, a senior US military official said.
Air Force General Charles Brown, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a US forum on Friday that the integrated use of advanced technology would differentiate Washington’s “state of warfare” with Beijing in a Taiwan Strait conflict from that over the past three decades.
Conflict with China was not “imminent or inevitable”, Brown said, but if it did happen, the clash would be “akin to what we saw in World War II”.
“The thing that I’ve seen over the past several years is the character of warfare has changed … When you look at the technology and you look at the use of drones, you look at the use of cyber, all these other factors come into play,” Brown said at the Aspen Security Forum in Aspen, Colorado.
“It may not be the high-end capability that we are using but a mix of capability that can create a greater defence of Taiwan.”
To that end, the US was accelerating efforts to build up its military logistics in the Pacific, stockpiling weapons, ammunition, supplies and other military support to be combat ready, he said.
03:03
Taiwan simulates attack from mainland China as island’s military conscripts begin extended service
Taiwan simulates attack from mainland China as island’s military conscripts begin extended service
He said Washington was “fully confident” of winning a war against Beijing if the People’s Liberation Army tried to take Taiwan by force, describing the US military as the “most lethal, most respected combat force in the world”.
Brown was responding to a Japanese government report that concluded Beijing’s forces could land troops on Taiwan in a rapid assault within a week of imposing a blockade.
The report also said the PLA would conduct an operation to seize control of the self-ruled island before US and allied military forces could come to Taipei’s aid.
“The [People’s Republic of China] knows where our advantages are and the combat capability we can bring to bear. My sense is they’ll want to go quick so they can do it before we can bring capability there,” Brown said.
“The more we can show that we can get there fast, [the] greater [the] deterrence.”
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Mainland China launches PLA blockade around Taiwan, 3 days after William Lai speech
Mainland China launches PLA blockade around Taiwan, 3 days after William Lai speech
The PLA simulated a blockade on Taiwan in May as part of military exercises launched after independence-leaning William Lai Ching-te was inaugurated as the self-ruled island’s new leader.
Beijing regards Taiwan as part of its territory to be reunited, by force if necessary. Most countries, including the US, do not recognise the island as independent but oppose any unilateral change to the status quo by force. Washington is also committed to arming Taiwan.
In June, Admiral Samuel Paparo, commander of US Indo-Pacific Command, announced that the US military was planning to implement a “hellscape” strategy using a “number of classified capabilities” if the PLA tried to attack Taiwan.
According to Paparo, the “hellscape” strategy would involve launching thousands of uncrewed systems, such as surface vessels, submarines and aerial drones, designed to distract Beijing and buy time for Washington.
