Rethinking China Policy: Shaping A Counter-Approach

With the emergence of the “leader for life,” who does not want to be called President, for that would put him at the same level as Western presidents, the Chinese challenge is becoming even more central to the liberal democracies.

And if it comes to fundamental conflict, the test will be between two systems, two ways of life, and tests of different warfare systems.

To enhance deterrence the West needs to reshape its thinking and appraoch to mobilization in case of severe crisis; but it also needs to think about shaping a SIOP for undercutting the power of leaders such as reign in Russia and China.

How to undercut their power and in crisis, dismember their regimes?

This special report on “Rethinking China Policy,” was built around several pieces by Danny Lam and first published on January 17, 2017.

This is what we wrote at the time of first issuing the report:

The strategic challenge posed by the increasingly assertive leadership of the People’s Republic of China needs to be met.

The new American Administration has a strategic opportunity to reshape its policies towards the PRC, rather than simply engaging in a “tit-for-tat” exchange, which the PRC is well postured to augment its global positions.

One of the opportunities opened up by a Trump presidency is a serious repositioning of Taiwan within U.S. policy.

It is time to exit the Madame Tussaud museum of policy initiatives and shape a Taiwan policy for the 21^st century, which is part of a broader deterrent strategy.

Both the technology available to the United States and the policy shifts of core allies in the Pacific are enabling the forging of a deterrence in depth strategy.

As Japan has focused on its extended defense, Australia upon the integration of its forces with a capability also for the extended defense of Australia and with U.S. forces focus on shaping a force to operate over the extended ranges of the Pacific, now is the time for a serious rebooting of the role of Taiwan in extended Pacific defense and security.