Are there signs of mobilization between China and the U.S.? Recent media reports claim that from August 1 this year, grassroots militia and professional people’s armed cadres will gradually be equipped with Type-21 training uniforms. The explanation from the spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, Tan Kefei, is that this move is mainly to enhance honor motivation and uniform dressing norms.
However, external interpretations generally believe that this could be a clear sign of mobilization. After all, once war breaks out, in addition to the active-duty forces, the militia reserves are also an essential part of the Chinese combat forces.
As for the United States, their mobilization efforts and scale are even larger. Recently, the U.S. military joined hands with Australia to invite 13 countries to participate in the “Protective Dagger 2023” military exercise. The scale of this exercise is the largest in its history, with up to 30,000 participants. Following this exercise, the U.S. military also plans a “global mobilization,” preparing to link up all 7 naval fleets and 6 U.S. combat commands across 22 time zones worldwide for a large-scale exercise. The U.S. military directly stated that this “global mobilization” is targeting China! The aim is to prove that the U.S. military can carry out synchronized military actions worldwide, and also confront larger opponents like the Chinese navy.
The Pentagon has thus revealed its hand. No wonder Henry Kissinger, the centenarian former U.S. Secretary of State, expressed his concerns about the U.S.-China relationship during an interview. He publicly stated that he believes the current relationship between the U.S. and China is on the brink of war. The most likely area of conflict, according to him, is the Taiwan Strait. Kissinger’s worries are reasonable considering the Pentagon’s recent actions; the U.S. has formed dozens of military alliances against China.
In the Korean Peninsula, the U.S. has joined hands with South Korea and Japan, creating a tense atmosphere. In the South China Sea, with U.S. support and instigation, Vietnam and the Philippines have brazenly confronted China.
Regarding Taiwan, the U.S. has been even more direct. Massive arms sales have been made to Taiwan, U.S. active-duty special forces have conducted military exercises directly in Taipei, and U.S. officials have supported the Taiwanese independence movement.
Kissinger’s concerns that a war could break out between the U.S. and China over the Taiwan issue are indeed justified. However, military experts believe that China has always advocated for peaceful solutions to problems, especially regarding the Taiwan issue. The mainland’s principle is not to give up any hope of peaceful resolution of the Taiwan issue while not ruling out the use of force. Therefore, while China is currently actively preparing for potential war conflicts, it is also not giving up any hope for peace and continues to work towards it in the Taiwan Strait.