Brandishing the Chinese aerial superiority, Chinese experts voiced that Beijing has various ways that the mainland military can attack sites throughout Taiwan and even cover the entire area to prevent the use of the US UAVs
New Delhi: Asseverating the sale of military drones by the United States to Taiwan as an action performed by Washington ‘to store its weapons’ in Taipei for ‘future use’ against China, international affairs experts from Beijing urged the mainland leadership to initiate ‘military preparations.’ Chinese experts fomenting their leadership to launch offensive steps against Taiwan comes after Washington in its arms trade with Taipei sold four MQ-9B Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for almost $600 million.
The latest statements from Chinese experts support the statement issued by Beijing in October, wherein it threatened to ‘make legitimate and necessary responses’ after the United States approved the potential sale of $1.8billion-worth of advanced weapons systems to Taiwan. China had stated that Washington by approving the arms sale was violating agreements signed in the 1970s that established diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Voicing the same violation in a weekly Chinese television program, Foreign Policy scholar and Chairman of a Chinese media house Lai Yueh-chien, and Defence expert Teng Jianqun not only castigated the multi-billion arms deal but also canvassed various scenarios involving an ‘aerial assault’ on Taiwan by Beijing’s air force.
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Both Lai and Teng primarily discussed the stealth and reconnaissance features of the MQ-9B, while making remarks on its air-to-sea strike capability. Seconding the criticism drawn by Lai on the pricing of the UAVs, Teng spoke on Washington’s ‘real intention’ to sell arms to President Tsai Ing-wen. He insisted that the United States looks upon the defense trade as a commercial relationship, wherein Taipei’s leadership has little or no control over the arms sales. Teng alleged that the United States is selling arms to Taiwan because Washington wants to ‘store weapons’ in various underground locations in Taiwan for ‘future purpose.’ Adding to Teng’s comments, Lai indicated that US arms sales are indirect attempts by Washington to delay or discourage Taipei’s own development of weapons systems.
Speaking on the trends in US arms sales to Taiwan, Teng highlighted that the diplomatic representations and economic sanctions against relevant companies are not a sufficient response to US arms sales. “Thus military preparations are required,” he urged.
Brandishing the Chinese aerial superiority, Teng stated that ‘Beijing has various ways that the mainland military can attack sites throughout Taiwan and even cover the entire area to prevent the use of the US UAVs.’ He scoffed at Taiwan’s ‘use of force to resist reunification’ as political theatrics. “It is just boosting their own courage,” Teng said.
Meanwhile, both military polymaths drew consensus that any cross-Strait conflict ‘will actually allow extra-regional forces to actively engage in the region for their own benefits.’
