In response to the increasing competition and confrontation between the US and China, the US military has been strengthening its deterrence against its Asian rival.
Notably, to strengthen the defense of the western Pacific first island chain, the US has quietly allowed Taiwan, Japan and South Korea to develop their indigenous cruise or ballistic missiles with a range of more than 1,000km.
As well as strengthening these three countries’ defense capabilities, this development shows how their geographical location allows them to work closely with the US’ national security agencies.
For example, South Korea has long been threatened by North Korea’s nuclear weapons. In recent years, with the assistance of the US as well as its own diligent research and development efforts, South Korea has developed the Hyunmoo missile series.
Among the four types of missile in the series, the Hyunmoo-3 has a range of up to 3,000km, which is more than enough to reach anywhere in the Korean Peninsula. As for the Hyunmoo-4, its ability to carry an earth-penetrating warhead gives it a strong deterrent effect against North Korea’s underground missile and nuclear weapons facilities.
Taiwan has for decades been under military threat from China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA). In the early years, due to its own technical limitations as well as restrictions imposed by the US, Taiwan did not have the military hardware needed to carry out attacks at source — pre-emptive strikes.
However, times have changed. Thanks to years of effort by Taiwan’s armed forces, plus the intensified strategic rivalry between the US and China, the armed forces are reportedly in possession of the Hsiung Feng IIE cruise missile, whose 1,000km range is a deterrent against the PLA.
Japan is the US’ most important ally in the Asia-Pacific region, but it has in recent years suffered increasingly frequent harassment by the PLA.
To maintain its basic power of national defense, Japan plans to modify its existing Type 12 surface-to-ship missile by extending its range from 200km to 1,500km.
This would not only defend its southwestern islands, but also help lessen the US’ burden of defending the first island chain.
Faced with China’s increasing military threat and its continued challenge to the longstanding US-dominated order in the first and second island chains, the US is not only striving to widen its lead over the PLA in military technology, but has also tacitly allowed Taiwan, Japan and South Korea to possess or develop cruise or ballistic missiles with a range of more than 1,000km.
The geostrategic position of these three countries has risen amid the intensified rivalry between the US and China.
Ray Song is a doctoral student at Tamkang University’s Institute of International Affairs and Strategic Studies.
Translated by Julian Clegg
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