Taipei Times
Date: Dec 08, 2015
By: William Lowther  /  Staff reporter in WASHINGTON

The defense of Taiwan is probably the most critical and enduring strategic challenge facing US security professionals today, Project 2049 Institute research fellow Ian Easton said on Saturday.

“No other flashpoint is as likely to see the world’s two strongest nations go to war,” Easton told the annual banquet meeting of the Formosan Association for Public Affairs.

Easton said that China was building up for the day when it could project “overwhelming violence” across the Taiwan Strait.

“The Chinese military’s No. 1 mission is the invasion of Taiwan — including a pre-emptive attack on US forces that would come to Taiwan’s aid,” he said.

Chinese military planners want to use Taiwan as a military base to threaten Japan, South Korea and the Philippines, he said.

Easton criticized Washington for only offering arms sales designed to avoid provoking Beijing.     [FULL  STORY]