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China Capable of Taiwan Blockade, U.S. Navy Commander Says

September 30, 2022 0

China Capable of Taiwan Blockade, U.S. Navy Commander Says

‘If they want to bully and put ships around Taiwan, they very much can do that,’ said Vice Adm. Karl Thomas

Taiwan’s internet relies on undersea cables that also connect much of Asia to the web, but tensions with Beijing have raised concerns about the network’s vulnerability. WSJ maps out how China could limit the island’s communications, and how Taipei is preparing. Illustration: Adam Adada

Updated Sept. 20, 2022 6:34 am ET

China’s armed forces are capable of blockading Taiwan, a senior U.S. Navy official said, pointing to the size of the country’s navy, which is the world’s largest and growing at a rapid pace.

“They have a very large navy, and if they want to bully and put ships around Taiwan, they very much can do that,” Vice Adm. Karl Thomas, commander of the U.S. Seventh Fleet, said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal.