China's military development is a crucial indicator of the likelihood and potential success of a Taiwan invasion. However, such an invasion remains unlikely in the next five years as China must still fill key gaps in its military evolution. In the meantime, China's military coercion of Taiwan will fuel the militarization of the Asia-Pacific region and risk scuttling China's diplomatic relations. China is the most dynamic player in the military balance of power in the Taiwan Strait. While the United States already has the most modern and strongest military in the world, its presence in Asia is only a portion of its total strength and its advancement is plagued by bureaucratic largesse, a contentious budgeting process and inconsistent development cycles. The Taiwanese military remains largely dependent on imported U.S. weapons, with a military budget less than one-tenth of China's and an immature indigenous arms industry. China's military has developed rapidly...
