"Chinese Amphibious Warfare: Taiwan Targeted, Scenarios Swirling" - by CWP alum Andrew Erickson

As China deploys the most warships around Taiwan in its largest maritime operation in three decades, scrutiny of the potential military operations Xi Jinping envisions is long overdue. This second part of a two-part series, based on the Naval War College’s China Maritime Studies Institute’s new edited conference volume, “Chinese Amphibious Warfare: Prospects for a Cross-Strait Invasion,” distills key findings from the book regarding scenario factors and policy recommendations, and highlights areas of ongoing research.

A comprehensive net assessment of the cross-strait military balance is beyond the scope of our unclassified project. We instead focused on China’s amphibious-related developments and identify key dynamics and trends. Part 4, “Scenario Factors,” therefore considers specific elements vital to the success of a Taiwan invasion. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is laser-focused on accounting for all relevant variables, but retains considerable challenges and shortcomings even as it builds and deploys forces at a rate unprecedented in the postwar era.

Chinese Amphibious Warfare: Taiwan Targeted, Scenarios Swirling

Part two of a two-part series detailing China’s amphibious warfare and the implications for Taiwan.

By Andrew S. Erickson - December 14, 2024

Dr. Andrew S. Erickson (艾立信) is Professor of Strategy (tenured full professor) in NWC’s China Maritime Studies Institute. A core founding member, he helped establish CMSI and stand it up officially in 2006 and has played an integral role in its development; from 2021–23 he served as Research Director. CMSI inspired the creation of other research centers, which he has advised and supported; he is a China Aerospace Studies Institute Associate. Since 2008 he has been an Associate in Research at Harvard’s Fairbank Center. Erickson has taught courses at NWC and Yonsei University, advises NWC student research and curricula and supports NWC’s scholarly research relations with Japanese counterparts.

Photo Credit:  https://thediplomat.com/2024/12/chinese-amphibious-warfare-taiwan-targeted-scenarios-swirling/