US Army forms new unit to counter China's Taiwan strategy

Chinese strategists view a war with Taiwan as their primary contingency, but they also face pressure to deter regional rivals, enforce territorial claims, protect overseas interests, and ensure the survival of the Chinese Communist Party. This broad range of missions can dilute resources and attention devoted to Taiwan. U.S. strategy aims to exploit this by creating "system overload" for the PLA, potentially delaying decision-making and operations and buying time for U.S. forces to mobilize. Options include attacks on China's command and control networks, information operations, and a "far seas" blockade.

However, China possesses advantages of proximity and will, and a conflict could result in heavy costs for the U.S. Chinese missile, air, and drone assaults could damage regional U.S. airfields, degrading maritime operations and Taiwan's defenses. U.S. Navy surface forces are vulnerable to China's A2/AD systems, making submarines crucial but potentially insufficient to alter the war's outcome. Any intensive military rivalry between the U.S. and China carries significant risks, including nuclear escalation.