Communist China Waging a “Pressure Campaign” Against Republic of China

By Arthur N. Tulak

The Director General’s address to the OVC was quite timely, as Communist China is waging a campaign of coercion and military intimidation against Taiwan, conducting invasion rehearsals that cross the strait centerline, and enter into Taiwan’s air and sea space. In April, the Communist Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) simulated bombing raids on the island, while its navy encircled Taiwan, likely rehearsing elements of an invasion plan.1

The tensions between Communist China and Taiwan are the highest in over 40 years. Admiral Phil Davidson, former Commander of USINDOPACOM, reiterated his assessment in January of this year that Communist China may try to invade Taiwan by 2027.2 General Michael Minihan, former Director of Operations J3, Chief of Staff, and Deputy Commander of PACOM and INDOPACOM assessed that “China will invade Taiwan in 2025.” 3 Taiwan’s Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng had also assessed that the PRC will have the capability to mount a full-scale invasion by 2025.4

The impact of a Communist victory over Taiwan would be a humanitarian catastrophe and would add to America’s security assurance failures in modern history, most notably the abandonment of the Republic of Vietnam in 1975, and the surrender to the Taliban in 2021. These events resulted in massive civilian suffering and misery among the civilian populations that had supported the Americans.

In November 2021 Communist China passed a law making those “who support ‘Taiwan independence’ criminally liable for life”5 and later vowed to establish “reeducation” program in Taiwan after they conquer the nation.6 This is exactly what the Communist north Vietnamese did with their re-education camps established in the democratic Republic of Vietnam following its conquest in 1975. The Communist Vietnamese imprisoned at least 200,000300,000 former military officers, government workers and supporters of the former government of South Vietnam The system of er-education prison camps was drawn from the Siberian Gulags of the Soviet Union and the program of forced labor camps in China, employing sophisticated and inhumane methods of detention and repression techniques.7

Endnotes:

1. Gideon Rachman, April 11, 2023, “Why Taiwan matters to the world,” https://www.todayonline.com/commentary/commentarywhy-taiwan-matters-world-2148221

2. Miya Tanaka, Kyodo News, - January 23, 2023, “Ex-U.S. Indo-Pacific commander sticks to 2027 window on Taiwan attack. https:// english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/01/018a26a02962-ex-us-indo-pacific-commander-sticks-to-2027-window-on-taiwanattack.html See also his earlier assessment while still serving as the INDOPACOM Commander: Mallory Shelbourne, March 9, 2021, “Davidson: China Could Try to Take Control of Taiwan In ‘Next Six Years’.” https://news.usni.org/2021/03/09/davidson-china -could-try-to-take-control-of-taiwan-in-next-six-years

3 Mary Kay Linge, January 28, 2023, “US Air Force Gen. Mike Minihan predicts China war in 2025,” New York Post, https://nypost.com/2023/01/28/us-air-force-gen-mike-minihan-predicts-china-war-in-2025/

4 Helen Davidson, Julian Borger, October 6, 2021,” China could mount full-scale invasion by 2025, Taiwan defence minister says,” The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/oct/06/biden-says-he-and-chinas-xi-have-agreed-to-abide-by-taiwanagreement

5. Yew Lun Tian, November 5, 2021, “Supporters of Taiwan independence will be liable for life says China,” Reuters, https:// www.reuters.com/world/china/china-says-it-will-hold-supporters-taiwans-independence-criminally-responsible-2021-11-05/

6. Giulia Carbonaro, August 5, 2022, “China Would Re-Educate Taiwan in Event of Reunification, Ambassador Says,’ Newsweek, https://www.newsweek.com/china-reeducate-taiwan-reunification-ambassador-1731141 See also, “The Week,” National Review, Vol. LXXV, No. 16, p. 8.

Cadet Awards Program Report

By Arthur N. Tulak, Cadet

Awards

Chairman

The Commandery provided 52 medals to JROTC units and 6 medals to the 3 ROTC programs at University of Hawaii, for a total of 58. Mahalo to Commandery volunteers who presented this year: Peter Hirai (Roosevelt), Dan Curtis (Roosevelt and McKinley), Fred Staedel (Kaiser, OVC, & Mililani), Arthur Tulak (Campbell, Farrington, University of Hawaii).

A big Mahalo to active-duty personnel from USINDOPACOM and the Joint Intel Operations Center: LTC J. Brian Woolsey, DTRA Rep. to INDOPACOM (Aiea), Lt Col, USAFR Darrin G. Hall (Waipahu), LCDR Joshua Ludwig, USN, INDOPACOM J3 (Kalaheo), Capt, USAF Natalie K. Burke, Executive Assistant, INDOPACOM J1 (Kalaheo), CDR Kimberly A

Here are the names of the 2023 awardees reported by the Cadre so far:

Aiea Silver Academic Medal to Cadet Olivia Park, and the Bronze Leadership to CDT Corey Overmeyer

Kahuku Silver Academic Medal to C/SSG Logan Reese, and the Bronze Leadership medal to C/2LT Eden Mailo

Kapaa Bronze Leadership to c/PFC Kainoa Danner

Kealakehe: Silver Academic Medal to C/PVT Caydenn Bermorro, and the Bronze Leadership to C/PVT Ridge Cann

Konawaena Silver Academic to Aiko Takahashi, and the Bronze Leadership Medal to Cadet Khemrald Rivera

Mililani Silver Academic to CPT Zoie Stevers, & the Bronze Leadership to C/PFC Nyzel Fagaragan

Waianae Silver Academic to CDT Nohealani Taylor, and the Bronze Leadership to C/Shannon Arruda-Ratcliffe, & Waipahu Silver Academic to Cadet Keziah Christie Ancheta, and the Bronze Medal to Cadet Nathaniel A. Alvarez

Kaiser Silver Academic to Cadet Cadet Olivia Park, & the Bronze Leadership to Cadet Corey Overmeyer

Kalaheo Silver Academic to Cadet Clarence J. Loomis, & Bronze Leadership Medal to Cadet Ava R. Jones

Kapolei Silver Academic to Cadet 2NDLT Shenel Saladino, & Bronze Leadership to Cadet C/1STSGT Kobey Alcain

McKinley Silver Academics to C/PFC Danielle Cummings, & the Bronze Leadership Medal to C/PV2 Mared Arenas

Roosevelt Silver Academic Medal to cadet Cadyn Lau, and the Bronze Leadership Medal to Cadet Kevin Ng