Posted on 02/14/2025 5:43:26 PM PST by buwaya
Statements by Adm Paparo, head of the of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command - warns about Beijing’s plans.
"Two months ago Beijing practiced sealing off the First Island Chain, which runs from Japan south to Taiwan, the Philippines and Indonesia. The goal is to cut off Western support for Taiwan in a blockade or invasion. A military exercise in October 2024 was practice for a blockade. "
"Adm. Paparo said this week that China’s “aggressive maneuvers around Taiwan right now are not exercises, as they call them. They are rehearsals” for “the forced unification of Taiwan to the mainland.” "Taiwan has to take these violations of its airspace and waters seriously because what looks like a routine maneuver could become a “fig leaf” for military intervention in short order, as Adm. Paparo noted. "
(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...
Adm Paparo used to command the US Pacific Fleet (which includes the 3rd and 7th Fleet, plus all other Naval forces in the Pacific). Currently he is the Commander of all US forces (Navy, AF, Marines, Army) in about 1/2 of the world. It turns out I was precisely right.
They blockade Taiwan they’re declaring war on every country that does business with Taiwan. Which is everybody.
Irrational desperate move if they actually were to do it.
something tells me that both Japan and Taiwan have mechanisms to kick China’s azz without
warning in the event of an impending existential attack.
lots of microchips, ultra super computers, fear and boys grown up on SciFi heroes. Pe-ping go boom.
Three Gorges is gone if they do this.
These are seriously large exercises they have been running.
I am hoping the U.S. has some stealthy submarines that could put a few Red Chinese ships on the bottom.
The loss of 20 Red Chinese ships might be enough to send the rest back to port.
In any case, war.
And likely sooner than later.
The US has many chokepoints to cut off fuel to China. They could blockade Taiwan and then be cut off from oil imports by sea.
This would be suicide. Then again Xi is a retard. The US had a literal stiff as the POTUS and China still lost economic ground to us.
Bkmk
Who is going to stop them?
The Chinese should have done this before Mr. Trump returned to the White House. Does Mr. Xi know who he’s messing with now?
I am speculating here, but not much.
I think a step on the Taiwan crisis escalation chain, which step that will be I don’t know, but it will be an overt declaration of war, will be the Chinese conducting, first, interdiction, and then an amphibious assault on:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinmen
and
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matsu_Islands
These outposts are so close to the Chinese coast as to be indefensible against a serious effort. They are close enough that the Chinese can probably use drone swarms to nullify their extensive fixed defenses.
Taiwan proper is a much harder amphibious invasion problem.
A 100% embargo on US trade until a blockade of Taiwan was lifted would make this a very unattractive proposition for China. Collapsed economy, starving population going berserk, etc. would likely lead to loud scapegoating of some “military adventurers” followed by a more quiet reshuffling of the CCP leadership.
This is exactly the point at which a grave, strategic decision will have to be made. After this there is no going back, everything will be fundamentally different. Everyone in East Asia is dreading this. Will the US blockade China?
But are the Chinese leadership prepared to take such a risk?
We have no idea what their assumptions are about the consequences. What’s certain is that their assumptions aren’t likely to line up with many of ours.
If they do that, just ban all trade with the PRC.
Don’t think the conflict is a single front. For at least the last 4 yrs china has had ample time to walk all kinds of personnel and weapons over both our borders. They can create all sorts of trouble here while working on Taiwan.
No one because they’re not going to do it.
What are you suggesting?
Bad move with a new aka REAL Sheriff.
Agreed...but that will hasten the deployment of Coup Flu II.
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