Stockpiling U.S. Munition in Taiwan：To Carry Out "Destruction of Taiwan" Plans？
By Lan Ning-li
China Times, March 8, 2023
Recently, soldiers on Xiju Isle of the Matsu Islands wrote on the beach for help, indicating that the kitchens of the Matsu Defense Command lacked meats; this news stirred up huge controversies. While the root cause of this problem has yet to be solved, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) confirmed that Taiwan was discussing with the United States to transfer stockpiles of American munition from East Asia to Taiwan.
While both issues are related to logistics, the former is less serious, for it mainly affects the troops’ morale, but the latter may affect national security. Our senior national security officials obey orders from the United States far more than Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy does. The policy of transferring military stockpile to Taiwan may have been decided already, MND only discussed the details.
According to the MND, future stockpiles will include munitions from East Asian countries, but this is a deceptive ploy. Suppose China decided to resolve its internal affairs by marking a “Taiwan Sea Battle Zone” (TSBZ) to carry out a joint sea, air, submarine, and missile blockade, then ships and aircraft entering TSBZ will be responsible for their own safety. So it would not be possible to expect U.S. military forces to supply munitions to Taiwan at that time.
When Taiwan becomes the reserve warehouse of American weaponry, ships, and aircraft have to enter Taiwan’s harbors and airports for supplies, but this activity will violate the Taiwan Relations Act. It is with high political risks for the United States forces to use Taiwan’s harbors and airports unless the United States is determined to launch a war with China.
Moreover, it is unnecessary to transfer stockpiles of American weaponry from East Asian countries to Taiwan. Taiwan’s weapons, after “sanitization” by the United States, are different from U.S. models, and Taiwan has limited direct access to American weaponry. Unless the United States military plans to transfer nuclear weapons stockpiled in Japan to Taiwan, then this means that the United States would risk a nuclear war with China and push Taiwan into total destruction. This proves that there indeed is a plan for the destruction of Taiwan as unintentionally revealed by President Joe Biden recently.
In my opinion, the American proposal to transfer military stockpiles to Taiwan is but an excuse for the U.S. forces to gain access to Taiwan’s harbors and airports for supplies. But I don’t think that the United States dares to enter TSBZ to test China’s resolve to blockade Taiwan and to provoke a war. Military stockpiles on Taiwan might involve weapons for asymmetric warfare, such as portable surface-to-air Stinger missiles or anti-tank Javelin missiles. Senior national security officials in the administration of President Tsai Ing-wen had discussed with the United States the topic of asymmetric warfare for many years. The United States finally realized that Taiwan has to face the problem of China’s blockade, for a blockade would stop Taiwan’s actions in defending the island. This is the reason for the United States to transfer weapons from East Asian countries to Taiwan. What’s next is preparing for the implementation of the plan for the destruction of Taiwan.
In as early as 1954, Taiwan and the United States began mutual defense plans. The United States military had emphasized anti-blockade operations. No matter if it is coordinated training, combined training, or joint exercise, the main items are aimed at improving skills in anti-submarine warfare. Taiwan relies on maritime transportation not only for weapons but almost entirely for its energy supplies, but we seldom hear senior national security officials express worries about blockades. The Tsai administration should care for the people’s safety, it should not put land mines and munition stockpiles all over Taiwan and carry out defense construction in cities. The government always thinks about an all-out war but never considers the evacuation of its people and their lives!
The author is a retired vice admiral.
From: https://www.chinatimes.com/newspapers/20230308000514-260109