China will not attack Taiwan in the foreseeable future, according to the Pentagon. However, it’s also accelerating its attempts to develop up the air, ground, and sea capabilities needed to conquer the territory if it changes course. As per Chairperson of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, who testified in front of Congress last month, this is the case.
Will They Attack Before the 2027 Deadline?
Milley claims that China’s government aspires to take Taiwan by 2027, the 100th birthday of the People’s Liberation Army’s formation (PLA). Milley believes the danger to Taiwan will appear this century, specifically in the next six years.
The Carrier Strike Group has passed through the Luzon Strait and entered the Philippine Sea.
This is a significant moment for #CSG21.
Having begun our deployment in the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean, we have now travelled 10,000 miles to the Western Pacific. pic.twitter.com/bejSobZWkG— Commander UK Carrier Strike Group (@smrmoorhouse) August 1, 2021
Given the escalation, Milley believes China has no plans to recapture Taiwan, which it considers as a renegade state, anytime in the near future. Such an assault would necessitate lengthy planning and Milley believes China is not planning to move sometime in the next 12 to 24 months.
China’s economic transformation from one of the poorest nations to one of the wealthiest has fueled double-digit annual growth in the country’s defense expenditure until lately. The budget continues to grow at a healthy rate of roughly 6% per year.
Newsweek: 'No Chance' U.S. Can Stop Chinese Invasion of Taiwan, Military Expert Says.https://t.co/dGC8nB0lA0
via @GoogleNews
— Solomon (@SnafuBlogspot) July 24, 2021
Over the last two decades, China has undergone a remarkable set of reforms aimed at transforming its military from a moderate organization to one on par with Modern military forces.
China’s military services have been reformed with the Army’s size reduced, as well as the Navy and Air Force’s budgets increased. China has always placed a premium on forces capable of generating military strength abroad.
The Chinese Navy has undergone a significant transformation in recent years,; it evolved from a small coastal fleet to a full-fledged blue-water fleet equipped with operations in all of the world’s biggest seas. The PLAN currently has two aircraft carriers, with a new one in the works, and plans to build up to six in the future.
China Rapidly Developing Its Invasion Capabilities
Helicopter flying operations are among quite a number of interesting views of the #Chinese #Navy's new Type 075 #amphibious assault ship #HAINAN 31 in this video. The 1st of 3 Type 075s was just commissioned in April https://t.co/oSX9mhErAN Story at https://t.co/ZJYfUagGPR pic.twitter.com/uwoxHXB4ep
— Chris Cavas (@CavasShips) June 23, 2021
China is also developing eight Type 071 floating platforms docking ships as part of a massive multipurpose ship development initiative. Each Type 071 can deploy a battalion of Chinese soldiers on hostile territory using a ship or a Type 726 hovercraft.
China has also constructed two Type 075 assault ships, which are identical to the Wasp-class ships manufactured by the United States, and aims to construct six more. During the first phase of an assault, a total of 32 large amphibious assault ships, 16 medium ships, and 29 tank landing craft could convey all eight brigades of the Chinese Marine Corps
The Chinese Air Force has been bolstering its fighter, bombing, and air transport troops in the meantime. Revamped Xi’an H-6 warplanes will strike important targets with pinpoint accuracy guided munitions, and Chengdu J-10 and J-20 jets would aim to achieve air supremacy over Taiwan.
