- GATESTONE INSTITUTE - Gordon G. Chang - JUN 27, 2022 -
At least one of Taiwan's "eggs" can kill tens of millions of Chinese, perhaps more.
China's Three Gorges Dam creates a reservoir of 39.3 billion cubic meters of water on the Yangtze River and is upstream from about 400 million people. Almost 30% of China's population, therefore, is at risk of a catastrophic failure of the structure, such as one caused by a missile strike. That means Taiwan possesses a conventional weapon that packs the wallop of a nuclear one.
Now, China's regime looks as if it wants to go to war. The harsh remarks of China's Defense Minister, General Wei Fenghe, at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore this month, are a clear warning of hostile intent.
China has targets, and Taiwan has missiles. That translates into deterrence if Taiwan makes it clear that, in the defense of its sovereignty, it is prepared to take Chinese lives in the hundreds of millions.
Yes, we are that close to war.
On June 21, China's People's Daily reported that the United States and Taiwan were about to participate in the annual Monterey Talks. The U.S. side, China's most authoritative publication stated, was expected to offer 20 types of weapons for sale to Taiwan, "with emphasis on building 'asymmetric capability.'"
Taiwan, which the People's Republic of China claims as its 34th province, already has asymmetric capabilities, and one of them could be as powerful as a nuclear weapon.
Beijing maintains that Taiwan cannot defend itself. "Military expert Song Zhongping said it is impossible for Taiwan to form 'asymmetric capabilities,' no matter what kind of weapons it purchases from the U.S. as the gap between the military capacities of the two sides is 'too huge,'" People's Daily, a Communist Party newspaper, reported.
Taiwan is "daydreaming" if it thinks it can contain the People's Liberation Army, according to the newspaper. Why? "Asymmetric weapons are 'useless' when facing the PLA's absolute advantages."
The People's Daily report followed an unusual exchange of words between a Taiwan legislator and a Chinese official. "Taiwan of course would never invade China," said You Si-kun, the president of Taiwan's Legislative Yuan, on June 12 at a virtual event. "Nor would Taiwan actively strike Beijing or the Three Gorges Dam."
"Before China attacks Taiwan," You warned, "it must consider Taiwan's existing capacity to strike Beijing." "China," he said, "should think twice."
China's Taiwan Affairs Office, through spokesperson Ma Xiaoguang, replied with a poetic image. "If they dare strike a stone with an egg, it will only accelerate their demise."
At least one of Taiwan's "eggs" can kill tens of millions of Chinese, perhaps more.
The range of Taiwan's Yun Feng cruise missile has never been publicly confirmed, but analysts believe it to be about 1,240 miles, sufficient to reach both the Chinese capital and the Three Gorges Dam, the world's largest flood-control structure.
China's dam creates a reservoir of 39.3 billion cubic meters of water on the Yangtze River and is upstream from about 400 million people. Almost 30% of China's population, therefore, is at risk of a catastrophic failure of the structure, such as one caused by a missile strike. That means Taiwan possesses a conventional weapon that packs the wallop of a nuclear one.
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