China’s Attempt to Intimidate the U.S.
In 2010, U.S. officials began to grow wary of some of the moves that China was making, as it appeared that the country was trying to intimidate the U.S. with multiple signs of aggression.
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For example, while the U.S. Navy was conducting a missile test in the East China Sea, Chinese military planes flew incredibly close to the U.S. Air Force, narrowly avoiding a dangerous conflict or accident.
Chinese Threats?
This situation led many U.S. officials to contemplate China’s endgame, as they were clearly being aggressive in their maneuvers.
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The U.S. came to the conclusion that the Chinese military wasn’t just giving a thinly veiled threat to the U.S. military — they were also showing aggression towards Taiwan.
China vs Taiwan and the U.S.
This Chinese incident between the U.S. and the Chinese military during a military exercise was China’s attempt to show that they were more than prepared to take on Taiwan — and they had the planes, missiles, and military prowess to do it.
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The independent country of Taiwan is a small island about 100 miles off the coast of South China. China has long believed that Taiwan is actually part of its territory, which has put it in conflict with the U.S., which backs an independent Taiwan.
Why the U.S. Supports Taiwan
There are various reasons why the U.S. has always publicly supported Taiwan, even with China’s increasing signs of aggression towards the small island nation.
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The U.S. feels that an independent Taiwan can help keep the region secure, as it lies by China, South Korea, and Japan.
Influence in the Indo-Pacific Region
Thanks to its ties to Taiwan, the U.S. is able to keep its influence in the Indo-Pacific region. If China were to successfully force Taiwan to become a part of its country, this could all change.
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China would have more capabilities to limit the U.S. influence in the area and could gain success in further pushing U.S. interests out of the entire region.
A Difficult Time
Therefore, after this military exercise that was interrupted by close-flying Chinese military planes, the U.S. decided to show China just how powerful they could be.
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This show of strength was also conducted to further align the U.S. with Taiwan, as officials in America have always said they will protect the country from Chinese invasion.
A Move Off the Coast of China
In 2010, the U.S. decided to show its own strength off the coast of China by simultaneously surfacing three of the Navy’s guided missile submarines.
Source: U.S. Navy/Wikimedia Commons
This move came during a period when both countries were showing tests of strength to each other, causing some tensions to grow.
Surfacing Three Submarines
The U.S. Navy surfaced three submarines that carried missiles: the USS Florida, the USS Michigan, and the USS Ohio.
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This maneuver allowed the U.S. to show how powerful its military submarines were — and also how close they could get to China’s borders without necessarily being immediately detected.
Powerful Submarines
These three submarines that the U.S. surfaced around China in 2010 were indeed powerful. The ships carried 462 Tomahawk cruise missiles, which have a range of about 1,000 miles.
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By arising in this location in the Indian Ocean, the U.S. was sending China a message that they could reach its territory easily in worst-case scenarios.
A Simple Coincidence
According to the U.S. Navy, the surfacing of these three missile-carrying submarines was simply a coincidence. It wasn’t intended to be anything else but this.
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Of course, it appears China saw through this — and took it for the show of strength that it was. This event worked in the U.S.’s favor, as China still hasn’t made any military moves towards Taiwan in the 14 years since.
An Uncertain Future
Now, an uncertain future for the U.S. and China has officials worried. Though China’s President Xi Jinping has always created a friendly relationship with U.S. presidents — including both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump — China has continued to make aggressive moves towards Taiwan.
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Meanwhile, Trump, who is running for a second term against Biden, has often gone against China for various issues, leading some analysts to worry that a conflict between the U.S. and China could happen if Trump were to win the November election.
