For as long as most of the world can remember, there have been conversations and rumors about a potential conflict between Taiwan and China. Even though the People’s Republic of China claims that Taiwan is part of its territory, it has never actually ruled there, although a shared history between the two nations goes back centuries.
After decades of potential invasion threats, the small but mighty island of Taiwan has spared no expense to help thwart a Chinese invasion. Even with the US and other nations committed to assisting Taiwan, it is by no means helpless and has several advantages over China.
10. Civilian Fighting
Taiwan’s civilians regularly prepare and train for a Chinese attack.
Taiwan’s biggest advantage may not be its ports or the Taiwan Strait, but the will of its people. Civilian Defense programs are heavily focused on preparing citizens for an invasion. Residents are taught basic first aid and other emergency preparedness techniques that could be useful during an assault from China.
9. Chinese Challenges
As large and powerful as China’s military is, it’s not invulnerable to logistical difficulties.
If China were to follow through on its promises to take Taiwan, it would create an almost immediate constraint on the largest country on Earth. The logistical supply chain required to capture and hold Taiwan would be significant. Not only does China need to get parts, fuel, and supplies across the Taiwan Strait, but countering the impending arrival of a US fleet while also fighting in Taiwan is a logistical and strategic nightmare.
8. International Alliances
The US has a deep alliance and military strategy to help defend Taiwan from attack.
With the US providing aid, military, and security guarantees under the Taiwan Relations Act, the island nation sleeps comfortably, believing international aid would come quickly. While China has potential partners in its fight against Taiwan, the island nation also finds protection and help from Japan and Australia in training and military aid.
7. “Silicon Shield”
It’s hard to ignore Taiwan’s presence in the semiconductor and microchip space.
Another of Taiwan’s big deterrents against Chinese aggression is the “silicon shield.” This term is a metaphorical nickname meant to highlight Taiwan’s strengths in the semiconductor industry, which it does much better than China. The global reliance on Taiwan chips would make it costly for China to disrupt this supply chain.
6. Cybersecurity Protection
Taiwan’s advanced cybersecurity systems are a strong line of online defense.
While China is widely regarded as one of the world’s most aggressive nations for cybersecurity threats, Taiwan isn’t far behind. In fact, Taiwan is likely ahead of China regarding countering cybersecurity threats, which could be critical for defending against potential infrastructure attacks ahead of a Chinese invasion.
5. Urban Fighting
Taiwan has large urban areas that will bog down Chinese soldiers.
Once Chinese forces make it into Taiwan’s cities, the job of capturing the island only gets tougher. First, urban fighting is always favorable to defenders with time to dig in, which Taiwan has been ready for years. The island nation’s army drills for urban combat against a larger fighting force, and they would use this fighting as an opportunity to create chokepoints to prevent China from moving further inland.
4. Rugged Terrain
Taiwan’s terrain is not conducive to a quick and easy conflict for China.
Assuming China can take Taiwan’s beaches, it still has to fight on the island itself, which is going to be problematic. Taiwan is full of mountain areas, which means China has to rely heavily on its air attacks, which Taiwan is ready for with anti-aircraft guns smartly placed all over the island. The central mountain range, in particular, is also a choke point for Taiwan to hold out while it waits for international assistance.
3. Beachhead Concerns
The beaches of Taiwan are not large enough for a full-scale invasion.
If China can make it to Taiwan’s beachhead, there’s still a lot of work to start trying to capture the island. Essentially, China has to storm Taiwan’s beaches and overwhelm its ports, and this won’t be easy. Taiwan’s beaches are not large enough to handle a full-scale Chinese invasion, which means China can only land small numbers of troops at once, giving Taiwan a chance to overwhelm.
2. Asymmetric Warfare
There is no question that Taiwan has protected its ocean with mines and other defensive weapons.
Under threat from one of the world’s largest armies, Taiwan has embraced asymmetrical warfare to counter this larger threat. This includes focusing on systems like anti-ship missiles, sea mines, and drones that will exploit China’s supply lines. These guerrilla-style tactics showcased how a smaller opponent like North Vietnam could aggravate the stronger and more numerous American military.
1. The Taiwan Strait
The Taiwan Strait creates several logistical challenges for China.
Among the most discussed reasons why Taiwan is already in a good, defensible position is the island nation itself. The approximately 100-mile gap between Taiwan and China, known as the Taiwan Strait, is already a natural barrier. Not only would Taiwan see China coming, but difficult weather, including monsoon season, would make it difficult for China to cross in a large-scale invasion.
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