General Li Zuocheng, chief of the PLA Joint Staff Department, said “we do not promise to abandon the use of force”. Photo: Handout
Daily Mail: China threatens to ATTACK Taiwan: One of Beijing's most senior generals warns the military will use force if there is no other way to stop island becoming independent
* Li Zuocheng told Beijing's Great Hall of People today: 'The people's armed forces will take all necessary steps to resolutely smash any separatist plots or actions'
* It is very rare for such a senior figure to make such a public threat against Taiwan
* Beijing claims Taiwan, but the island democracy refutes it is part of China
* It comes as China is cracking down on Hong Kong's democratic powers
China will attack Taiwan if there is no other way of stopping it from becoming independent, one of the country's most senior generals said today.
Li Zuocheng, chief of the Joint Staff Department and member of the Central Military Commission told Beijing's Great Hall of the People: 'If the possibility for peaceful reunification is lost, the people's armed forces will, with the whole nation, including the people of Taiwan, take all necessary steps to resolutely smash any separatist plots or actions.'
He added: 'We do not promise to abandon the use of force, and reserve the option to take all necessary measures, to stabilise and control the situation in the Taiwan Strait.'
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WNU Editor: General Li Zuocheng was not alone. At the same event, Li Zhanshu, the third most senior leader of the ruling Communist Party, said using force was an option.
More News On China Threatening To Attack Taiwan
Chinese general says Beijing will ‘resolutely smash’ any separatist moves by Taiwan -- SCMP
Chinese general threatens attack on Taiwan to stop independence -- Sydney Morning Herald
Attack on Taiwan an option to stop independence, top China general says -- Reuters
China Says It Will Use Military Force to Take Control of Taiwan If Diplomacy Fails -- Newsweek
Chinese general says an attack on Taiwan necessary last resort -- Taipei Times/Reuters
No, that's not the last resort, that's already programed, no matter what. Xi is impatient and don't care of any blame. The COVID-19 show how much the West is depending of China for medicine and Xi will blackmail us with that.
ReplyDeleteIMO (that & 1 dollar will buy you a small coffee at McDonalds) people while not discounting recent combat experience might teat it like the alpha smoothing factor like in a Holt-Winter Model.
ReplyDeleteEverything being equal, you would give an edge to the one side that had more combat experience than the other side. But do not overestimate combat experience.
My point is do not underestimate the Chinese military because they have no recent combat experience.
Why consider the concept of a smoothing factor? People retire, die, or move on. Their knowledge may not always be captured in lessons learned or doctrine. They might have learned the right lessons for their time, but things have changed.
Combat experience isn't everything. Japanese had plenty of experience early in WW2. The they got ground into the dust. So where did it go? American aces on the other hand were rotated back to the States to training detail.
Combat experience can give people the wrong lessons. The Japanese learned the wrong lesson in 1904/1905. That gave them Victory Disease. The Russian general in 1904 in the Far east was capable. He was however a sick man and his subordinates were not capable,. The Japanese took away the wrong lesson. The Germans also "learned" victory disease in the 1st 2 years of The Eastern Front.
My point is I wouldn't expect America to win solely, because "We" have more combat experience.
I take China's threats as serious as a heart attack and their threats are worrisome.
I agree completely. It's been my experience that the military has to relearn it's job (experience wise) about every two years. A lot people put too much emphasis on the Sino- Vietnamese conflict of the late 70's. All those people and lessons are gone. Taiwan is a case into itself with many many major factors involved.
Delete1) If defended well without 5th column interference Taiwan would be very difficult.
2) If defended well enough to give US naval forces time to be of assistance, it might be impossible to take.
3) Of course mainland China has infiltrated Taiwan, but will this be effective? No one really knows.
Taiwan represents the great unknown to everyone, everyone!
A last thing comes to mind, the statement" Generals are always fighting the last war". Considering the seriousness of their endeavors and the fact it's a " one shot " affair, ( if you're wrong you just don't lose you die) what else do they have?
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