As China advances, Taiwan’s military strategy changes

IN response to an unstable security situation in the Taiwan Strait, Taipei is transforming its naval and military strategy. Taiwan’s navy received the first of 12 Tuo Chiang-class catamaran missile boats in December 2014. Though small, these modern vessels are stealthy and come equipped with numerous anti-ship missiles, outclassing all the fast missile boats currently in Taiwan’s fleet. The Tuo Chiang, however, is just the most visible manifestation of a broad military shift. The Taiwanese navy has traditionally used large surface warships to dominate the ocean and surrounding airspace. Yet, Taiwan’s future military doctrine emphasizes flexible, stealthy and heavily armed vessels that can deny the enemy freedom of movement.

China, however, has already implemented many elements of a similar anti-access and area denial strategy to counter the US in the Pacific region. This asymmetric approach is usually adopted by a weaker power. Instead of challenging the opponent directly in a conventional manner, the defender opts to disrupt and deny access through guerrilla or unconventional actions by air, sea and — to a lesser extent — land. The goal is to deter an attack, inflict unsustainable losses, or simply gain time for allies to intervene. China is adopting this strategy because of its relative weakness compared to the United States. Taiwan is shifting out of necessity, because of its military vulnerability to China, though not without a political and economic cost.