TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Head of US Indo-Pacific Command Admiral Samuel Paparo said China is on a “dangerous course” with its large-scale military drills around Taiwan as Washington seeks to bolster cooperation with allies to counter Beijing.
The Wall Street Journal reported that senior officers from over 30 countries, including Taiwan, convened in Hawaii on May 13 to discuss China’s growing threat and to explore ways to deepen cooperation with the US. The Association of the US Army’s LANPAC Symposium and Exposition is an annual gathering of US and allied defense officials focused on key topics such as intelligence sharing, joint military exercises, and interoperability of command systems.
WSJ pointed out that Taiwan and the Pentagon both assess that China could have the ability to attempt an invasion as early as 2027. Taiwan’s defense strategy centers on holding back a Chinese assault long enough for US support to arrive.
Paparo said that in the early stages of a Chinese invasion, the US and its allies must neutralize key PLA assets that could disrupt allied military operations. This includes radar stations, missile launchers, and command centers.
China has an extensive arsenal of anti-ship missiles, a head start in advanced hypersonic weaponry, and its geographic proximity to Taiwan gives it a strategic edge. However, Paparo said the addition of US precision-strike missiles capable of sinking ships is a “game-changer that fundamentally alters China’s risk calculus.”
Paparo said that new US long-range hypersonic missiles further threaten PLA forces. He added that US quick-reaction strike forces, operating alongside allies near Taiwan, could launch land-based strikes on Chinese targets while gathering critical intelligence, thus creating operational room for American naval and air forces.
While the US maintains approximately 380,000 troops in the Indo-Pacific, only a portion are stationed near potential flashpoints like the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea. US military officials describe the region’s vast geography as “tyranny of distance.”
Paparo noted that in one day last year, China mobilized 152 warships, three-quarters of its amphibious forces, and dozens of brigades for aggressive exercises around Taiwan. China conducted similar large-scale exercises around Taiwan again last month.
In his keynote speech in Honolulu, Paparo emphasized that these are “rehearsals, not exercises,” and warned, “China is on a dangerous course.”
Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force General Morishita Yasunori, who also attended the gathering, remarked that in his nearly 40 years of service, he has never seen the security environment so tense. He said the great risk posed by China meant Japan needed to be able to respond to any scenario.
