Earlier this month, U.S. Air Force Brigadier General Doug Wickert summoned nearby civic leaders to Edwards Air Force Base in California to warn them that if China attacks Taiwan in the coming years, they should be prepared for their immediate region to suffer potentially massive disruption from the very start.
In a remarkable briefing shared by the base on social media and promoted in a press release, Wickert - one of America’s most experienced test pilots now commanding the 412th Test Wing - outlined China’s rapid military growth and preparations to fight a major war.
Cutting-edge U.S. aircraft manufactured in California’s nearby “Aerospace Valley”, particularly the B-21 “Raider” now replacing the 1990s B-2 stealth bomber, were key to keeping Beijing deterred, he said. However, if deterrence failed that meant China’s would likely strike the U.S. including nearby Northrop Grumman factories where those planes were built.
A war with our dementia patient in chief in charge would surely go over well.
Honestly, I’m surprised china has moved yet. Trump and crew would bungle responses badly
Despite all the fearmongering, it’s so far proved unnecessary. Ji is going to look at it in terms of cost/benefit, and as things sit, the costs are high and the benefit of getting a leveled Taiwan is minimal. The diplomatic costs in particular are fairly prohibitive, with China investing so much recently in trying to be a predictable, stable and peaceful world power that other countries can feel good partnering with.
It would be vastly preferable for all parties involved to maintain the status quo and continue to work towards peaceful reunification in the future. Assuming Taiwan doesn’t do anything stupid, this patient approach has no real drawbacks. It did work several times in the past, after all.
TradeWars are good and easy to win!Predicting his first public statement
China could just buy a few million in Trump-Coin and own the US without a war.
Still seems fairly unlikely that China would go to war over Taiwan. It wouldn’t be that easy, and their economy is better for having Taiwan as a major trading partner.
Taiwan acts as a political firewall too, with lots of Chinese companies having their front facing customer service there.
So many of the Taiwanese firms have massive operations in China too. Foxconn, Pegatron to name a couple.
Given how democracy in capitalism is going around the world, it’s not inconceivable for Taiwan’s public opinion to shift in a decade or two if the current trends stay in place. Perhaps sooner if the US collapses.
What’s more Taiwan keeping “The Republic of China” as their official name, and allowing the Chinese National party (KMT) to still operate there is kind of asking for trouble.
If you want to be your own nation they needed to make that clearer about 30 year ago rather than playing these stupid games with names and parties.
A large portion of their population still identifies as Chinese, so in a democracy you have to represent that.
Doesn’t have to be expressed via the KMT though. That was the party that ruled Taiwan as a military dictatorship for 25 years after all.
At the very least they should change the country’s official name to something that isn’t “The Republic Of China”. Leaving that as the official name just feels like trolling.
I just don’t think I’d fight for in a “We’re the real China, no, We’re the real China!” based war. If so many Taiwanese identify as Chinese it seems like something The West should stay out of. An extension of their civil war.
Like imagine if the Confederate States fled to Hawaii and claimed to be the real America… And the world took their side and swore to protect the “Confederate States of America” on Hawaii…
Shit wouldn’t make sense. You’d be like “WTF world? What’s up with that?”
Meanwhile China still works on improving infrastructure and education.
