May 20, 2022
A Fight Over Taiwan Could Go Nuclear
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has raised the specter of nuclear war, as Russian President Vladimir Putin has placed his nuclear forces at an elevated state of alert and has warned that any effort by outside parties to interfere in the war would result in “consequences you have never seen.” Such saber-rattling has understandably made headlines and drawn notice in Washington. But if China attempted to forcibly invade Taiwan and the United States came to Taipei’s aid, the threat of escalation could outstrip even the current nerve-wracking situation in Europe.
A recent war game, conducted by the Center for a New American Security in conjunction with the NBC program “Meet the Press,” demonstrated just how quickly such a conflict could escalate. The game posited a fictional crisis set in 2027, with the aim of examining how the United States and China might act under a certain set of conditions. The game demonstrated that China’s military modernization and expansion of its nuclear arsenal—not to mention the importance Beijing places on unification with Taiwan—mean that, in the real world, a fight between China and the United States could very well go nuclear.
A fight between China and the United States could very well go nuclear.
Beijing views Taiwan as a breakaway republic. If the Chinese Communist Party decides to invade the island, its leaders may not be able to accept failure without seriously harming the regime’s legitimacy. Thus, the CCP might be willing to take significant risks to ensure that the conflict ends on terms that it finds acceptable. That would mean convincing the United States and its allies that the costs of defending Taiwan are so high that it is not worth contesting the invasion. While China has several ways to achieve that goal, from Beijing’s perspective, using nuclear weapons may be the most effective means to keep the United States out of the conflict.
Read the full article from Foreign Affairs.
More from CNAS
-
The Risks of Downplaying China’s Military
Commentary
Deterrence can succeed, and continued U.S., Taiwanese, and allied investment can matter a great deal — if undertaken with the urgency the situation demands....
By Tom Shugart
-
Why Does the U.S. Military Seem Stymied in the War With Iran?
Podcast
Defense analyst Stacie Pettyjohn, a senior fellow and program director at the Center for a New American Security, says while the U.S. military is facing long-range missile sho...
By Stacie Pettyjohn
-
U.S.-Iran War Risks Repeated Cycles of Fighting
Video
Shifting US objectives and neither side able to secure a decisive military victory make a lasting resolution difficult and Bloomberg Economics Defense Lead and adjunct senior ...
By Becca Wasser
-
Iran and the U.S. Are Trapped In a War Neither Knows How to Win
Commentary
Both the US and Iran have adopted military strategies that can prevent defeat but cannot produce a decisive victory....
By Becca Wasser
