[rigelkentaurus]

If US troops are needed on the ground in Taiwan, it is already lost. Control the sea and control the air, then Taiwan is safe. Lose those and Taiwan is lost.

[A Formerly Proud Canadian]

War, like diplomacy, can be a game of bluff. Word gets out 'unofficially' that US troops are in the Republic of China. The idea being:

"I dare you to knock this off. I dare you!"

I am sure that there are MANY generals in the PLA, who realize that an all out attack on the ROC would endanger or kill US troops, which SHOULD (as opposed to 'would', if there were a REAL leader in the Presidency) bring the US military into action. The $64 trillion (inflation, you realize) question is, how many ACTUAL military men are there in the PLA, as opposed to just Xi Jinping 'yes men'?

Maranatha.

[Eleutheria5]

A couple of carrier groups can be deployed if they aren’t already there. But that’s just contesting the sea and air, not controlling it. This might get hot.