China Authorizes Attack on Taiwan; Warns U.S.

cnn.netscape.cnn.com ^ | March 08 2005 | ELAINE KURTENBACH

[crushelits]

China Steps Up Pressure on Taiwan
BEIJING (AP) - China unveiled a law Tuesday authorizing an attack if Taiwan moves toward formal independence, increasing pressure on the self-ruled island while warning other countries not to interfere. Taiwan denounced the legislation as a ``blank check to invade'' and announced war games aimed at repelling an attack.

The proposed anti-secession law, read out for the first time before the ceremonial National People's Congress, doesn't say what specific actions might invite a Chinese attack.

``If possibilities for a peaceful reunification should be completely exhausted, the state shall employ nonpeaceful means and other necessary measures to protect China's sovereignty and territorial integrity,'' Wang Zhaoguo, deputy chairman of the NPC's Standing Committee, told the nearly 3,000 legislators gathered in the Great Hall of the People.

Beijing claims Taiwan, split from China since 1949, as part of its territory. The communist mainland repeatedly has threatened to invade if Taiwan tries to make its independence permanent, and new law doesn't impose any new conditions or make new threats. But it lays out for the first time legal requirements for military action.

Taiwan's leaders warned that the move could backfire by angering the island's voting public.
Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council, which handles the island's China policy, said the law gives China's military ``a blank check to invade Taiwan'' and ``exposed the Chinese communists' attempt to use force to annex Taiwan and to be a regional power.''

[jpsb]

" Be nice if the U.S. finally called Bejings bluff and wacked them back hard."

Should have been done a long time ago.

[jpsb]

" Picture, if you will, Yellowstone going boom"

In that event the Chicoms will be the least of our worries.

A much more plausible scenario is Chicoms plotting with Islamist to create one hell of a distraction one that does not allow USN/USAF to meaningfully engage PLA over Taiwan. I can't think of anything that the islamists can do that would tie up 5 or 6 carrier battle groups that is not completely transparent but hey, could happen.

[Tench_Coxe]

"China unveiled a law Tuesday authorizing an attack if Taiwan moves toward formal independence, increasing pressure on the self-ruled island while warning other countries not to interfere. "

Well, if it's that simple, Congress should pass a law saying the US owns the planet, authorizing an attack on anybody who disagrees.

[Paul_Denton]

Our ground forces maybe, but the Navy and Air Force got nothing to do right now.

[Paul_Denton]

Sell Taiwan 3 of our soon to be retired FULLY, and I mean FULLY, equipped SSBN's

I agree!

[Paul_Denton]

Actually the US protected Taiwan twice. During the 1996 missile crisis and back in 1958 when the US gave logistic support for the China vs. Taiwan war over Quemoy and Matsu.

[Paul_Denton]

Costly yes, but in the long term, the cost of allowing China to take Taiwan is far higher.

[Paul_Denton]

The US should pass a 'symbolic' bill authorizing a nuclear strike on Beijing should there be an attack on Taiwan. Doesn't mean we will do it, but just by virtue of having it on the books, lets see what China says about it.

I do not doubt that we already have ICBMs targeted at China. Instead of being sybolic, we WILL use them if provoked. The question is, is China insane enough to risk our nuclear wrath?

[Paul_Denton]

Thee will be no war until the Chicom are convinced that they can control the airspace over Tiawan. That means taking out the carriers. They now have (thanks walmark shoppers) top of the line Russia anti-ship missles and top of the line submarines. Could be they now think they can take out our carriers.

Taiwan just unveiled a new missile that outperforms the Sunburn.

[Paul_Denton]

Freedom is worth fighting for. DO we really want the Chinese to controll the Pacific Rim (and put Japan, the Phillipines and Australia and ultimatly us in danger)?

[Paul_Denton]

All these developments happening really fast (AEF deployment, chicoms building amphib capability, the verbal bravado of the chicoms intensifying, Japan preparing to rearm to support Taiwan, and the threat of their client state, North Korea, seem to be ratcheting up as if they may be rearing for a conflict soon. We may see something before the year is out at this rate. Lets just hope we can stop them before they really get anywheree, and that in view of a global geopolitical threat (as opposed to a local/regional threat in Iraq under Saddam, or even the global terrorist threat of Al Qaeda) that China poses, that our leadership and that of our allies has the muscle and the nerve to stand firm. methinks all this happening fast means something is afoot fast. as for the PLA, that wouldn't surprise me w/ China, or Asia in general. Remember the Japanese govt in WW2 was controlled by the army.

Somthing is going on indeed. Could there possibly be any other reason behind the descision to move our most expensive and valubale strategic bombers to Guam?

[Spruce]

Currently deployed Carrier Strike Groups:

USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) - East China Sea
USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67) - Atlantic Ocean
USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) - port visit, Singapore
USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - Atlantic Ocean
USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) - Persian Gulf

[Jim Noble]

Actually the US protected Taiwan twice.

Past tense.

Not going to happen again.

[Paul_Denton]

Actually, they don't need ships. All they need is a SPY-1 radar system and a VLS launch cell system, both of which can be land-based with few modifications. Remember, they don't have to park a ship off someone's coast. They're an island that's parked off the coast. Put a number of these installations on land, and the problem is quickly and easily solved.

The LaFayette ships that Taiwan got (after a long and arduous scandel) have a VLS system. Put the SPY-1F inside that.

[Paul_Denton]

Yes. The Pentagon is currently reassesing China's military strength, the B2s are being sent out to Guam, The US is still selling weapons to Taiwan and most importantly, would our government really let China control the Pacific Rim? WHich would have the Domino Effect of endagering Japan, the Phillipines, Australia and ultimatly the US itself?

[Paul_Denton]

There it also the shadowy status of Japan's nuclear readiness. Another FReeper here said 6 days from design to deployment.

[Spktyr]

Don't even need to do that. Put the SM3s on the ships and datalink them to the SPY-1 installations on the shore.

[RightWhale]

Wouldn't our armed forces be spreading too thin?

In a nuclear environment, you would want to spread out as thin as possible.

[jpsb]

"most importantly, would our government really let China control the Pacific Rim? "

No, absolutely not. Not even a Clinton would allow that.

Cool news about the Tiawan anti-ship missle, thanks for the update.

[Paul_Denton]

Yeah awesome missile by the sounds of it. The ability to out perform a Sunburn is significant. Once Taiwan has manufactured enough of the missiles, the PRC would have a whole new obstical to confront. I just wonder why the US does not develop super-sonic anti-shipping missiles like the Sunburn of Hsuing Feng III?