China’s attempt to block Taiwan Strait has US warships lurking in the neighbourhood


As US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Taiwan visit sparked fury in China, the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) intensified its military exercise campaign near the Taiwan Strait, which separates China and Taiwan. As a countermeasure, the US has deployed its warships east of Taiwan.

So Taiwan, an island roughly 100 miles from the coast of southeast China, is effectively encircled by US and Chinese warships. China’s aircraft carrier Shandong (CV-17) left the naval base of Sanya on the day of Pelosi’s visit and Liaoning-001 also raised anchor from the home base in Qingdao. The two carriers are advancing both north and south of Taiwan.

China’s attempt to block Taiwan Strait has US warships lurking in the neighbourhood

Meanwhile, Taiwan has claimed 21 Chinese fighter jets entered its air space even as Pelosi was in the country on August 2. In response, Taiwan has been carrying out exercises such as air raids and mock missile alerts.

Here are the two Chinese aircraft carriers that form strike groups around the Taiwan Strait.

SHANDONG (CV-17)

The CV-17 Shandong aircraft carrier and one Type 075 amphibious assault ship of China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy left its homeport in South China’s Hainan province and is deployed south of Taiwan. It is an aircraft carrier that moves around with other ships and destroyers forming a strike group.

China’s attempt to block Taiwan Strait has US warships lurking in the neighbourhood

Shandong can carry 36 aircraft at once. It primarily launches Shenyang J-15 fighter jets, fourth-generation multirole fighter aircraft also known as Flying Shark.

LIAONING-001

On the day of Pelosi’s Taiwan visit, Liaoning-001 also raised anchor from Qingdao in East China’s Shandong province. Liaoning, which was commissioned in 1988, can carry 40 planes at once. It is an aircraft carrier which forms a strike group with at least eight warships.

Both these aircraft carriers might join the military drills that are to take place around Taiwan between August 4 and 7.

China’s attempt to block Taiwan Strait has US warships lurking in the neighbourhood

China has encircled Taiwan, with the aim of cutting off at least half a dozen ports in the country. These ports are critical for Taiwan’s trade.

This includes Taipei, the biggest container facility in the north with nearly 3000 ships frequenting the port every year. Other ports are crucial for trade in agriculture, chemicals, sugar, aluminum, fertilizers, oil, rice, packaged food, among other critical commodities.

US DEPLOYMENT TO THE EAST OF TAIWAN

Four US warships, including an aircraft carrier, have taken up positions in waters east of Taiwan in what the US Navy has called “routine deployments” amid rising tensions with China. The four warships are USS Ronald Reagan, USS Tripoli, USS America and USS Essex.

USS RONALD REAGAN

The USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) is deployed in the Philippine Sea, east of Taiwan and the Philippines and south of Japan. It conducted an archipelagic sea lane passage through the San Bernardino Strait (a strait in the Philippines).

USS Ronald Reagan, which is 890km away from Taiwan, has its homeport in Yokosuka, Japan. It operates with a guided missile cruiser, USS Antietam, and a destroyer, USS Higgins.

China’s attempt to block Taiwan Strait has US warships lurking in the neighbourhood

The CVN-76 is also a Nimitz-class, nuclear-powered supercarrier, and can house 3,532 troops and equipment. It is currently in the Philippine sea.

USS AMERICA

USS America (LHA-6) is currently in the port of Sasebo, Japan. It is an amphibious assault ship of the US Navy and the lead ship of the America-class amphibious assault ship. Delivered in 2014, it has the capacity to house 1,800 troops and equipment.

China’s attempt to block Taiwan Strait has US warships lurking in the neighbourhood

USS TRIPOLI

USS Tripoli is a 45,000-ton big-deck amphibious ship that has 20 F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters embarked to evaluate the Marines’ “lightning carrier” concept. It was named in honour of the US Marine Corps’ victory against Tripoli at the Battle of Derne during the First Barbary War between 1801 and 1805. USS Tripoli, deployed to the east of Taiwan, can carry 20 F-35B and other choppers.

China’s attempt to block Taiwan Strait has US warships lurking in the neighbourhood

USS ESSEX

It is a US Navy Wasp-class amphibious assault ship. Commissioned in 1992, the USS Essex can house 1,687 troops and equipment.

China’s attempt to block Taiwan Strait has US warships lurking in the neighbourhood

TAIWAN NO MATCH TO CHINA

In terms of military capabilities, Taiwan is no match to China. But with help from the US, it hopes of taking on the mighty Chinese military in case of a flare-up.

China’s military budget is USD 252 billion compared to the meager USD 13 billion of Taiwan. China has roughly 20 lakh active military personnel compared to 1,63,000 in Taiwan. When it comes to airpower, China has over 4000 aircraft while Taiwan only a little over 800. China’s combat fleet is far superior to what Taiwan has.

China also outnumbers Taiwan when it comes to tanks, armoured vehicles or artillery. Coming to maritime power once again, the Chinese navy has far more firepower. China has over 700 ships while Taiwan has under 100.

Whether this will escalate to a full scale conflict or not is difficult to predict, but with tensions rising and China’s aggressive moves, a flare up cannot be ruled out. The world is closely keeping an eye on China’s next moves.

— ENDS —