Superior U.S. Forces Could Break China's Blockade of Taiwan: Navy Commander

The U.S. military could overcome a blockade of Taiwan by China if Beijing sought to gain control of the island by isolating it from outside support, the commander of American naval forces in the Pacific recently said. President Xi Jinping has overseen the rapid modernization of China's military under his watch in order to develop the capabilities to take Taiwan by force if necessary and deny intervention by the United States and its allies in the process. China's intense war games around Taiwan in August included the drawing of half a dozen "Closure zones" near its major ports, into which some 11 ballistic missiles were fired. Chiu Kuo-cheng, Taiwan's defense minister, said Wednesday that China had "Taken the initiative" and would most likely follow a future blockade with an all-out attack. Washington's response to Beijing's drills around Taiwan was purposefully cautious. Taiwan warns of own "Red line" as China's military edges ever closer. China won't have element of surprise in Taiwan invasion-ex-CIA analyst.