Trump-era hawk wants US to ‘prepare for limited war’ with China over Taiwan
- Former deputy assistant defence secretary Elbridge Colby outlines his prescription for how to win a conflict in book which calls for ‘Asian Nato’
- Its main aim should be to defend Taiwan from mainland attack he says, calling for an end to US policy of strategic ambiguity
If the US is to win a war with China, it should direct most of its military resources to the Indo-Pacific and form an Asian Nato to prevent mainland forces from setting foot on Taiwan.
Many geopolitical observers are expecting the self-ruled island to be at the centre of any actual conflict if there is a war this century, with US-China rivalries playing out in evermore expansive areas.
For Colby, a Pentagon official during Donald Trump’s administration, a major war between the two countries is becoming ever more plausible. In response, he outlines a “denial defence” strategy which he says should be America’s playbook.
In Colby’s view, China is seeking to become a regional hegemony and will do so, if not actively stopped by the US. “The best strategy” that China has, he writes, is to capture a vulnerable US ally or quasi-ally, which he identifies as Taiwan.
Unification with Taiwan has been a stated goal of China’s ruling Communist Party since 1949, with Chinese President Xi Jinping vowing to take the island back “by force” if necessary.