Only a persistent, resourced U.S. and allied effort can avert Taiwan’s conflict with China

Excerpt

Last week in Singapore, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said, “The threat China poses is real. And it could be imminent.” He also reiterated the U.S. concern that President Xi Jinping directed his forces to be prepared to invade Taiwan by 2027.

We are at this point largely because of China’s sustained investment in military capabilities and technologies over more than 30 years. As a direct result, Beijing has succeeded in eroding America’s ability to defeat a Chinese attack on Taiwan. With America’s deterrence withering, the risk of a conflict is growing. Only a persistent and resourced American and allied effort can reverse this dangerous trend.

Complicating this response, the United States and Taiwan must simultaneously prepare for the most dangerous scenario — a cross-strait invasion or a full-scale blockade — and the most likely scenario: a comprehensive, cyber-enabled economic warfare campaign. The U.S. and Taiwan must work together to make Taiwan siege-proof and protect America’s ability to mobilize and project power.

Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery (retired) is a senior fellow and a senior director at the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.