Navigating the U.S.-China Long War: Taiwan's Vulnerability and Security Measures

The prospect of a military conflict between China and the United States in the Indo-Pacific region has become a growing concern for U.S. defense planners. While the use of nuclear weapons is a major concern, there is a possibility of a protracted conventional war between the two powers. Such a war would likely be fought over a wide geographic area and involve unfamiliar types of warfare. Both sides would have a strong interest in avoiding nuclear escalation, but the war could still exact significant costs and pose a decisive military test for the United States and its allies. Strategies of exhaustion and attrition, combined with limited attacks on military and economic targets, could be employed to keep the war limited and seek a favorable end through negotiation.