Recently, the United States has insisted on deploying "Typhon" land-based medium-range missiles in the Philippines in disregard of China's strong warnings and protests, and dispatched P-8 anti-submarine patrol planes to cross the Taiwan Strait. In response to this, China has also immediately launched relevant countermeasures, first to further develop relations with the Cuban armed forces, and possibly to deploy relevant weapons and equipment in Cuba, and on the other hand, to increase the frequency of military aircraft and warships cruising around Taiwan, so as to further overstock the strategic living space of the Taiwan independence forces.
In particular, on 15 April, a high-level delegation of the Cuban armed forces visited Beijing, and we stressed that China will continue to support Cuba in defending its sovereignty, independence and national dignity, and resolutely oppose interference in Cuba's internal affairs by external forces. This official statement is clearly intended to tell the United States, which is the backyard of the United States, but any political and security change will stir up the sensitive nerves of the United States Government about its own security.
The picture shows a military parade in Cuba
Development of military relations with Cuba
Historically, China and Cuba have had a special state-to-state relationship. In 1959, the Cuban socialist revolution was successful, and the following year, in 1960, China and Cuba established diplomatic relations. For more than 60 years, China has mainly helped Cuba in the fields of agriculture, science and technology, economy and trade, but has rarely touched on the field of national defense and security, but in the new geopolitical security situation, it seems that the focus of China's diplomacy towards Cuba should have changed.
The picture shows a US military aircraft tracking a Soviet freighter in Cuban waters during the Cuban Missile Crisis
So, can China deploy land-based campaign tactical missiles in Cuba? I'm afraid it's not that serious. The Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 had already made the world see the thrilling moment when the world was on the verge of nuclear war, and China certainly did not need to follow in the footsteps of the Soviet Union in history, but it was not absolutely inaction.
In fact, through a trade-off analysis, instead of deploying land-based tactical missiles in Cuba, China may deploy attack nuclear submarines to Cuba for low-intensity deterrence. For many years, the United States has often temporarily deployed Ohio-class strategic nuclear submarines or variant cruise missile nuclear submarines to military bases in the Asia-Pacific region and the ports of its allies, for example, the United States has already deployed this type of nuclear submarine to South Korea and Guam last year.
The picture shows the submarine-launched missile launch system of the Ohio-class cruise missile nuclear submarine
Moreover, in a local war in the region, the Ohio-class nuclear submarine variant of the cruise missile nuclear submarine has greater flexibility in use. that
The original 24 "Trident" submarine-launched strategic missile silos have been converted into silos that can carry 288 "Tomahawk" cruise missiles. Therefore, in fact, the only operational and tactical missiles deployed by the US military at China's doorstep, that is, around the first island chain, are the "Typhon" land-based medium-range missiles, and the "Tomahawk" cruise missiles on various types of nuclear submarines that can be temporarily deployed.
In contrast, China could take countermeasures by temporarily deploying attack nuclear submarines in Cuba. The Chinese Navy's Type 093B attack nuclear submarine itself has a vertical launch system for cruise missiles, and the Type 094A strategic nuclear submarine also has the potential to be converted to load cruise missiles, of which the former can be loaded with 12 cruise missiles, and the latter could have been loaded with 12 "Julang" 2 submarine-launched strategic missiles, but it is completely possible to carry at least 94 cruise missiles (7 cruise missiles per submarine-launched strategic missile silos) through technical modifications.
The picture shows the Type 094A strategic nuclear submarine
In this way, the temporary deployment to Cuban ports on a regular basis will not produce politically sensitive issues such as those caused by the Soviet Union's deployment of land-based intermediate-range missiles in Cuba in the past, and will also produce a military deterrent to the political and economic centers of the United States. It can be said that the deployment of nuclear submarines equipped with cruise missiles in Cuba will receive better political and military benefits than any other weapon system, such as land-based intermediate-range missiles.
Cruise around Taiwan on a regular basis
In the face of constant provocations and deterrence around Taiwan, the only thing the Chinese military can do is to organize regular patrols around Taiwan, including military aircraft and warships, and in recent years, drones have been dispatched from time to time to circulate the airspace around Taiwan, making Taiwan independence forces and the United States angry and afraid.
The picture shows the formation of the Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning
Many years ago, although Taiwan spent a huge amount of money to purchase a large amount of advanced weapons and equipment from other countries, for example, it bought American F-16 fighter jets and US Kidd-class destroyers, and bought Mirage 2000 fighters and Kangding-class frigates from France. But to be honest, most of the active weapons and equipment of the Taiwan army are seriously outdated, lack of upgrades to keep up with technological iterations, coupled with the perennial lack of qualified technical support and maintenance, and are not at all the opponents of the corresponding weapons and equipment of the PLA.
In the navy's patrol arrangements, the North Sea Fleet, East China Sea Fleet, and South China Sea Fleet under the jurisdiction of the PLA Navy can separately set up a special task force to circumnavigate Taiwan and patrol the eastern, southern, and western parts of Taiwan respectively.
The picture shows the Mirage 2000 fighter of the Taiwan army
Therefore, regular patrols can not only serve as a protest and deterrent to the Taiwan independence forces and US military intervention in the Taiwan Strait, but also find out the weaknesses of the relevant units and equipment of the Taiwan military in close contact. According to the media, some fighter units of the Taiwan Air Force responsible for intercepting them have been exhausted by the PLA's large-scale military planes, and the military planes are also operating at full capacity. It is believed that if the Taiwan military continues to be consumed for a long time, the combat readiness of the Taiwan military will certainly decline on a large scale, while the PLA has more troops and equipment, and it is completely possible to use the method of rotational warfare to consume them without having a negative impact on themselves.
Comprehensive countermeasures against the United States
We have to admit that from the perspective of the overall situation, it is difficult for Sino-US relations to return to the honeymoon period of the past, so China needs to show great determination to carry out comprehensive countermeasures against the United States. On the one hand, in foreign relations, China should try its best to expand its circle of friends, and on the other hand, China should show greater determination and will in matters involving sovereignty and interests. Of course, this includes not only the power of the Chinese government, but also the power of the private sector, such as mobilizing the enthusiasm of some Chinese companies.
In short, in the face of China's constant provocations by the United States, the Chinese military top brass has received the Cuban military top brass and dispatched the navy and air force to patrol Taiwan, which is a great countermeasure to the US provocations, and it is hoped that the countermeasures will be stronger and more effective in the future.
Part of the content of the article is sourced: He Weidong met with the director of the Political Department of the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Cuba China News Network