Taiwan - The balance of power is now in China's favour. China now calls the shot

 A few Taiwanese interviewed by someone on Channel News America had this to say - an older Taiwanese gentleman surmised that if China wanted to take Taiwan, it would have done that long ago, 75 years ago in 1949, (that was when the Communists under Mao Tse Tung were chasing Chiang Kai Shek's army retreating towards Taiwan). Another younger lady put it succinctly that Taiwan is no match for mainland China if a war starts.

I would say that both are very clear in their insights. Just a naval blockade by China will put Taiwan in big trouble. And that is why the USA, and the West are nervous over the expansion of China's naval capacity. The currently concluded military drill by China around Taiwan is causing anxiety all round in Taiwan, the USA and the West. They are going to call it military over capacity soon and have started to demonize China's shipbuilding industry.

In the event of a blockade, the USA and the West will then have to airdrop supplies like in Gaza. To say that most Taiwanese want independence is just repeating the propaganda that is the norm for the MSM in the West when fighting a media war and does not reflect reality.

In any conflict over Taiwan, the Taiwan Straits is China's front yard or let us say it is China's home ground cum advantage. Military logistics are at the PLA's beck and call. Not for the USA and the West, which are thousands of miles away.

This is no longer the USA during the Vietnam War, when its financial muscle and military capabilities know no bounds. Then Vietnam was not on the level of China in military capabilities, not to belittle the tenacious patriotism of the North Vietnamese fighters. Professor John Mearsheimer said in no uncertain terms that the USA is not just facing a competitor but is facing a peer competitor in all areas, which includes the military.

This is a USA already fighting two wars and finding it difficult to keep up with aid and military supplies to Ukraine and Israel and facing flaks all round. There is no coalition of the willing to speak of, just an economically weakened NATO alone lending a helping hand. And yet still flogging the theory that Ukraine is winning the war despite the obvious. How much territory has Ukraine retaken from Russia, despite a few minor successes in the Black Sea region. That is not territory retaken, but empty seas. And they gloated and are making a song and dance about it.

Putin has already taken the whole Eastern flank of Ukraine and he said in no uncertain terms that Russia will only settle for peace based on the present border. Moreover, Putin has opened up another front, the North-Eastern front and is stretching the already over deployed Ukrainian army facing massive recruitment problems. 

Anonymous