Why Should We (and especially Taiwan) Care About China’s New “Invasion Barges”?

Defense expert Tom Shugart joins Ray and Jim to explain China’s so-called “invasion barges”, which have recently gained wide attention exercising along China’s coast. Tom explains how these barges are a significant leap forward for China’s ability to carry out a Taiwan invasion.

Tom explains how these barges would be used in an amphibious landing along Taiwan’s famously inaccessible coastline, and how their design opens up options for China to overcome this obstacle.

These barges highlight the need for Taiwan to bolster its defenses along its western coast and into the Taiwan Strait itself. This should also serve as a wake-up call to the United States, as its assumptions about China’s military capabilities are rapidly growing obsolete.

Tom also talks about his recent work highlighting the need for U.S. air base hardening against attack in the Indo-Pacific, as its large bases are now highly vulnerable to China’s growing arsenal of stand-off weapons.

A former submarine warfare officer, Tom also discusses the challenges faced by the U.S. shipbuilding industry to ensure its ability to meet America’s own needs, as well as those for its ally Australia under the AUKUS agreement.

Tom asserts that its new barges are further evidence that China can no longer be considered merely an imitator of America, but is now innovating in ways that are pushing its capabilities strongly forward.

As the geopolitical consequences of a Chinese conquest of Taiwan would be profound for US alliances, rapid investment in defense infrastructure is critical for both the US and Taiwan.

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Our podcast is produced by IEJ Media, sharing news that matters on statecraft & instruments of national power. Follow IEJ Media on X (@iejmedia), and follow our producer Ian Ellis-Jones on X (@ianellisjones) or on LinkedIn.

This podcast is sponsored by BowerGroupAsia, a strategic advisory firm that specializes in the Indo-Pacific.