16 steps to deter a Chinese attack on Taiwan

To avoid what could be a very hot war on the Taiwan Strait, President George Bush should focus greater and more urgent attention on what is required to deter a Chinese attack on Taiwan. As the US Department of Defense has noted in its annual reports on Chinese military modernization, the main goal of Beijing’s effort is to build a capability needed to wage war against Taiwan, and if needed, the United States.

For Beijing, the reelection of Taiwanese President Chen Shui Bian heralds a decisive shift in Taiwan’s public sentiment against "reunification," the fulfillment of which is a key pillar of legitimacy for the Beijing regime. Beijing has given its People’s Liberation Army (PLA) a decisive role to play in fulfilling the goal of "reunification." Thwarting Beijing’s plans are essential for U.S. national security interests. These interests are reflected in the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act and remain valid today: the future of Taiwan should not be settled by armed force but by peaceful means.

If the PRC succeeds in militarily conquering Taiwan then the US would quickly lose its power position in Asia. Richard D. Fisher, Jr., Asian Security Fellow at the Center for Security Policy, lists 16 steps the US must take to deter a PRC attack on Taiwan, and to preserve Free World interests in the region.