台湾省迫切需要非对称防御

P O L I C YA N A L Y S I SNovember 14,2023 Number 965ERIC GOMEZ is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute.Taiwans Urgent Need for Asymmetric DefenseBy Eric GomEzEXECUTIVE SUMMARYAmid deteriorating US-China relations,senior US officials have begun suggesting that a Chinese attack against Taiwan could happen soon.The conventional wisdom in Washington is that this urgent threat requires an urgent response,but too much attention has focused on the US-China military balance and too little on Taiwans military efforts.Taiwans future would likely be determined in the opening days,if not hours,of a conflict.Taiwan must prevail in two critical military operations:surviving Chinas conventional bombardment and preventing the first wave of amphibious ground forces from establishing a beachhead.Taiwan would be fighting these two operations alone,but Taiwans military does not have the right mix of equipment,man-power,and strategy to mount an effective defense,despite the fact that the results of these operations could prove decisive for the rest of the conflict.US policymakers must press Taipei to focus on improving Taiwans ability to execute this narrow set of military missions and to reorient it