4
according to international law."
2
Despite that statement, Chinese missile firings to areas
within a few miles of Taiwan's two major seaports (Kaohsiung and Keelung) in March
1996 heightened Taipei’s concern about the security of its maritime trade.
The PLA is the only military force threatening Taiwan. Beijing is determined
first, to prevent Taipei from declaring independence and second, to return Taiwan to the
mainland‘s governance. China classifies these goals as vital strategic interests, in support
of which Beijing refuses to rule out military action. Several “triggers” for such military
action have been delineated at various times; these include a formal declaration of
independence by Taipei; Taiwan developing nuclear weapons; invasion of Taiwan by a
third country; uncontrolled civic disorder on the island, and most nebulously, Taipei
refuses to engage in reunification discussions.
3
[Map of Taiwan here]
Physical Geography
The geography of the theater frames political and military policy decisions. Any
military action against the island of Taiwan will involve naval or aerospace power:
Taiwan lies from 90 to 105 nautical miles (nm)
4
from the Chinese mainland, a distance
well within range of modern missiles and air-launched weapons, and roughly the same as
the 90 nm breadth of the English Channel crossed in the June 1944 Normandy invasion,
one of the largest, most complex military operations in world history.
The Taiwan Strait poses significant problems for the conduct of amphibious
warfare (AMW). It is frequently subject to high winds and seas, tidal ranges up to fifteen
Convention