During the last several months, there have been numerous hints in the Chinese and Taiwanese media indicating that war is more likely than believed here in the West. Some strategists suggest that the 2008 Olympics scheduled for Beijing constitute a key benchmark, after which a war may be possible. However, it is clear that both nations are preparing for a conflict in the near term, and that 2008 may not be as pivotal as some experts believe.
In fact, China's media have been repeating the mantra in their news reports that the People's Liberation Army is preparing to gain a victory in this "internal military conflict in a high-tech environment." Chinese war planners have studied carefully the recent U.S.-Iraq War, a war that demonstrated to PLA strategists that U.S. military might is derived from its technological superiority. China's military experts conducted similar studies after America's first Gulf War. One military study written by two Chinese colonels entitled "Unrestricted Warfare" suggested that China could not compete with America's technological prowess. Instead, China had to develop "asymmetrical" warfare to defeat the U.S. in any conflict. Interestingly, "Unrestricted Warfare" became an instant best seller in China after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. In the 1998 book, the Chinese colonels suggested that a successful bombing by Osama bin Laden of the World Trade Center would be an example of this new "unrestricted warfare" concept. Apparently, China feels much better positioned after the recent Iraq War and wants to challenge the U.S. on a technological level.
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