USA vs. China

[Schneemann]

Eine neue Quemoy-Krise?

China May Strike Taiwan's Outlying Islands to Challenge US Resolve

According to information published by the United States Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) on May 11, 2025, Beijing may opt for a limited military operation targeting Taiwan’s outlying islands, specifically the Kinmen and Matsu archipelagos, to test the boundaries of U.S. deterrence and gradually erode Taipei’s effective control over its frontier territories. The DIA’s 2025 Worldwide Threat Assessment identifies these islands as the most vulnerable to a Chinese coercive strategy, which may include naval maneuvers, economic pressure, information warfare, and so-called gray-zone operations. [...]

The Kinmen (Quemoy) and Matsu islands are strategic forward positions held by Taiwan, located less than 10 kilometers from China’s Fujian coast. For example, the strait separating the town of Shuitou on Kinmen’s main island from the Chinese city of Xiamen is only six kilometers wide. Once heavily fortified during the Cold War, these islands have been progressively demilitarized since the 1990s and partially opened to Chinese tourism. Despite this, they still house underground military infrastructure, including granite tunnels, high-frequency observation posts, and coastal defense batteries repositioned since the 2010s. [...]

Since 2023, Taiwan has accelerated its island fortification program including the restoration of concrete bunkers, the installation of laser-guided anti-tank systems, and the distribution of light-class ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance) drones. In April 2025, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense confirmed the transfer of 12 Cardinal II tactical drones to Matsu, aimed at monitoring Chinese naval movements in the strait.

https://armyrecognition.com/news/army-ne...us-resolve

Schneemann