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| Power Comparison Chinese Military VS Taiwan Military |
International Military - Taiwan has been on alert for war with China after tensions escalated triggered by the visit of the Speaker of the United States (US) House of Representatives (US) Nancy Pelosi to Taipei. Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense has canceled leave for military officers and mobilized troops. Meanwhile, China is holding large-scale war games around Taiwan.
In fact, China has fired several missiles near the island. Beijing's fighter jets also breached the Median Line of the Taiwan Strait, forcing Taipei to put its fighter jets and missile defense systems on alert.
Taiwan has been self-governing since 1949 or since China's civil war ended. However, Beijing still considers the island part of China and vows to subdue it by military force if necessary.
Taiwan now accuses China of imposing a de facto blockade and says it is "preparing for war without seeking war". However, if an open conflict does break out, Taiwan's military power is considered not comparable to China's, be it land, air and sea power.
In 2021, the US Department of Defense published a report to Congress entitled "Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China", which analyzed the relative military strengths of China and Taiwan in depth. The report is based on 2020 data.
The following is a comparison of the military strengths of China and Taiwan, as quoted by Newsweek:
Chinese military
- Army: 1,040,000 personnel
- Tanks: 6,300 units
- Artillery: 7,000 units
- Carrier: 2 operational, some still under construction
- Warships: 80 units (32 destroyers and 48 frigates)
- Submarines: 56 units, including 9 nuclear attack submarines and 6 ballistic missile submarines
- Fighter aircraft: 1,600 units, including 450 specialist bombers and 400 transport aircraft
- Nuclear weapons: 350 warheads (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute or SIPRI version)
Taiwan military
- Army: 88,000 personnel
- Tanks: 800 units
- Artillery: 1,100 units
- Aircraft carrier: -
- Battleships: 22 units
- Submarines: 2 diesel attack submarines
- Fighter aircraft: 400 units, including 30 transport aircraft
- Nuclear weapons:-