CSP Senior Fellow, Grant Newsham, appeared on Mackinder Forum podcast to discuss Asia’s first-island chain
Originally posted by Mackinder Forum
The US is basing its Western Pacific defense on the so-called ‘First-Island Chain’. This ‘chain’ extends from Japan to Taiwan, through the Philippines and ending in Malaysia. The First-Island Chain is a barrier that effectively restricts the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) from easy access to the Pacific and beyond. Breaking the chain is an imperative for PLA planners, as much as defending the chain is essential for US planners. This presentation examines the respective ‘links’ in the Chain and considers how solid a barrier the Chain actually presents to the People’s Republic of China.
Senior Fellow
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