In recent times, China’s military activities in the Taiwan Strait have raised concerns. The Chinese military has been sending aircraft across the Strait and towards Taiwan’s southwest coast frequently. This year, Chinese drones circled the entire island, and fighter jets were detected on the island’s east coast. Taiwan’s mountainous terrain has traditionally been seen as a natural shield against attacks, but China’s growing range has prompted debates about the island’s strategy.
Taiwan’s current strategy relies on the island’s mountainous terrain, with air force bases and weapons stored deep within the mountains to respond to attacks on the west coast. However, experts believe that China’s growing military capabilities and recent incursions on the island’s east coast make this strategy outdated.
Retired Admiral Lee Hsi-Min suggests a shift towards smaller, widely distributed defenses rather than attempting to match China’s offensive capabilities. He believes that investing in mobile and civilian capabilities, such as portable anti-ship and anti-air missiles, drones, and radar systems, would make an invasion too challenging for China.
Others believe that Taiwan already has the capabilities it needs to stop China from rounding the island in the event of an invasion. Dr. Su Tzu-Yun points to Taiwan’s maritime advantage, allowing it to create denial zones to blockade China’s navy and air force from entering the east side of Taiwan. Taiwan is also investing in larger defensive systems like the Patriot and Phalanx.
While the Taiwanese military is preparing for various scenarios, the goal is to avoid conflict in the Strait. They hope to deter China with their defensive capabilities and demonstrate that an invasion would be costly and risky for Beijing.