Thomas Shugart, a recently retired Navy captain and now defense analyst, discusses his recent piece in War on the Rocks, “Mind the Gap: How China’s Civilian Shipping Could Enable A Taiwan Invasion.” The conversation covers the balance of maritime power in the Strait of Taiwan, the People’s Maritime Militia, and how China could use civilian vessels to move its troops in a cross-strait invasion. This episode was edited and produced by David Suchyta.
Links
1. “Mind the Gap: How China’s Civilian Shipping Could Enable A Taiwan Invasion,” by Thomas Shugart, War on the Rocks, August 16, 2021.
2. “The Better China is Prepared for War, the More it Can Crush US-DPP Collusion,” by Hu Xijin, Global Times, August 28, 2021.
3. “Davidson: China Could Try to Take Control of Taiwan In ‘Next Six Years," Mallory Shelbourne, USNI News, March 9, 2021.
4. “China Maritime Report No. 4: Civil Transport in PLA Power Projection,” by Conor Kennedy, China Maritime Studies Institute of the U.S. Naval War College, December 6, 2019.
5. “Ramping the Strait: Quick and Dirty Solutions To Boost Amphibious Lift,” Conor Kennedy, China Brief from The Jamestown Foundation, July 16, 2021.
6. “PLA Uses Large Civilian Ferry Ship for Vehicle Transport in Cross-sea Landing Drills for 1st Time,” by Liu Xuanzun, Global Times, August 19, 2021.
7. MarineTraffic.com.