China's Taiwan Blockade: Potential Steps Revealed by The Wall Street Journal

Escalating Tensions: The U.S. Weighs China's Strategy for Isolating Taiwan

According to a recent report by The Wall Street Journal on the 23rd, China's plans for a blockade of Taiwan have reached an unprecedented stage of preparation. Military experts, including those from the U.S. Department of Defense, have analyzed that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) would likely begin with airstrikes targeting Taiwan's critical infrastructure. This would be followed by the deployment of warships to encircle Taiwan, establishing a blockade. Subsequently, various measures would be employed to completely isolate Taiwan, cutting off essential infrastructure services and trade routes.

However, in the short term, China is considered more likely to adopt a strategy of isolation. This could involve requiring ships entering Taiwan to undergo security inspections. Such a move would exert pressure on Taiwan while minimizing disruption to China's own shipping operations.

The report describes that a blockade of Taiwan is one of Chinese President Xi Jinping's most potent strategic options to compel Taiwan to submit, second only to a military invasion. Recent PLA military exercises around Taiwan provide insights into its blockade strategies.