China’s People Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) reportedly sent its amphibious assault ship to the straits between the islands of Japan on June 29, the first known instance of the warship being spotted in the Western Pacific.
Japan’s Ministry of Defense said that two PLAN ships—the Type 075 amphibious assault ship Guangxi and the Type 052 destroyer Baotou—were spotted sailing through the Osumi Strait and into the Western Pacific waters on June 29.
The military detected two more PLAN ships, the Type 054A frigate Anyang and the Type 902 support ship Chaohu, sailing through Japan’s Amami islands into the Western Pacific waters later that day.
These reports came amid communist China’s increasing assertiveness in the South China Sea, which it claims almost entirely, and growing concerns over a possible escalation in Taiwan, which the Chinese regime views as its own and has vowed to conquer by force if necessary.
Japan Think Tank Invites Taiwan
Meanwhile, the Japan Forum for Strategic Studies has invited Taiwanese military experts to take part in tabletop war games simulating a Chinese blockade of Taiwan and a large-scale assault in the Taiwan Strait, Taiwanese news agency CNA reported.The military simulation is expected to take place in Tokyo from July 15 to July 23. The inclusion of Taiwanese scholars in the simulation is attributed to the island’s strategic location along key supply routes for Japan, according to CNA.
The 2022 defense report stated that conflict between the United States and China is becoming “prominent” over Taiwan, with Washington increasing warship transits through the Taiwan Straits while China increases its military presence near Taiwan.
United States Must Lead
Both the United States and Japan have said they will defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese attack. However, they haven’t specified how they will address the immediate internal challenges facing the Taiwanese and Japanese militaries. Those challenges include policies, capacities, and war preparedness.Despite the threat facing them, Japan and Taiwan have not yet made sufficient efforts to collectively reinforce deterrence and improve their ability to contribute to the common defense.
Geo-strategists believe the impending situation cannot be resolved without America taking the lead in this regard.
According to the current plan, Nagao said, Japan will increase its defense budget by 56 percent over the next five years. “However, China has increased [its budget] more,” he said. “Without cooperation with other countries, Japan alone cannot prepare enough budget” to counter the Chinese threat.