'No Chance' U.S. Can Stop Chinese Invasion of Taiwan, Military Expert Says BY JOHN FE

[Boats]

'No Chance' U.S. Can Stop Chinese Invasion of Taiwan, Military Expert Says
By: John Femg - NewsWeek World News - 07-22-21 @ ~ 10:34 AM EDT
Re: https://www.newsweek.com/no-chance-u...t-says-1612128

China's recent live-fire drills near Taiwan were targeted at the island's government, a military expert said this week, claiming Chinese forces would leave "no chance" for the U.S. to intervene.

Veteran Chinese commentator Du Wenlong spoke confidently about the People's Liberation Army's amphibious capabilities on Tuesday amid a six-day, large-scale PLA exercise off the coast of eastern China, roughly 135 nautical miles north of democratic Taiwan.

Appearing as a panelist on Chinese state broadcaster CCTV's prime-time program Defense Review, the analyst said the short distance meant PLA forces would be able to reach the island's shores "within a day."

The prolonged Chinese military drills in the East China Sea were announced by China's maritime safety authority, which issued a no-go zone for merchant vessels lasting through July 21. The exercises—also about 120 nautical miles northeast of the disputed Senkaku Islands—would have involved the PLA's Eastern Theater Command.

"From a strategic point of view, this allows us to traverse that distance in a very short amount of time, then begin combat maneuvers on the island," Du said of a hypothetical attack on Taiwan.

The live-fire drills were announced a day after a U.S. Air Force jet landed in Taipei to deliver what local media described as "diplomatic mail" for the American Institute in Taiwan, which is the de facto U.S. embassy on the island. The stopover lasted all but 34 minutes, but the nature of the delivery—involving an American military asset—irked Beijing, which accused the U.S. of trespassing in its airspace.

Du called the PLA exercises a "serious warning" about Taiwan's continued military engagements with the U.S.

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Personal note: So much for US bravado about China taking Taiwan! If we are not on the island and its not supported - Taiwan will fall. How important is that to the US at this time? Huffing and Puffing is like blowing smoke in the wind. If we are not there and/or around that island - it will fall! No two ways about it. So what will the US do now?
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