{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1770549,
        "msgid": "us-china-taiwan-tensions-risk-nuclear-escalation-report-warns-1779974491",
        "date": "2026-05-28 18:50:33",
        "title": "US-China Taiwan tensions risk nuclear escalation, report warns",
        "author": "",
        "source": "DETIK",
        "tags": "",
        "topic": " Politics",
        "summary": "A report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies warns that US-China tensions over Taiwan could escalate into nuclear conflict, with both sides' military actions potentially targeting critical command and communication systems. The Shangri-La Dialogue will address key issues including Taiwan, Iran, and US regional commitment, amid China's military buildup and delayed arms sales to Taiwan. The report highlights growing nuclear and conventional military capabilities in the Asia-Pacific region, threatening strategic stability.",
        "content": "<p>US-China tensions over Taiwan risk escalating into open nuclear\nconflict. In the worst-case scenario, both nations could launch\nlarge-scale military operations targeting each other\u2019s command centres\nand communication systems, the International Institute for Strategic\nStudies (IISS) warned in a report released on Thursday, 28 May. The\nreport comes ahead of this weekend\u2019s Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore,\nAsia\u2019s premier security forum, which brings defence and military\nofficials from multiple countries. The London-based think tank assessed\nthat the world is on the brink of a new nuclear arms race, with the\nAsia-Pacific region as the primary theatre of competition. \u201cCountries in\nthe region, including those with strategic interests, are expanding\ntheir nuclear arsenals, while non-nuclear states are enhancing\nlong-range conventional strike capabilities.Both developments undermine\nstrategic stability,\u201d IISS stated. The think tank emphasised that\nmilitary upgrades in the region are no longer limited to conventional\ndefence but are moving towards strategic offensive capabilities that\ncould trigger broader escalation. Neither the US nor Chinese governments\nhave formally responded to the report. Taiwan, the Iran conflict, and\nuncertainty over US commitment to the region are expected to be key\ntopics at the Shangri-La Dialogue, running from 29-31 May. The informal\nconference will features defence ministers, generals, intelligence\nchiefs, diplomats, analysts, and defence industry executives. US Defence\nSecretary Pete Hegseth is scheduled to speak on Saturday (30 May), while\nChina has not confirmed if Defence Minister DongJun will attend. The\nmeeting follows a recent Beijing summit between Chinese President Xi\nJinping and US President Donald Trump, which raised concerns in Taipei\nabout US commitment to Taiwan\u2019s defence. Beijing claims it never rules\nout taking Taiwan by force but prioritises \u201d peaceful reunification\u201d.\nTaiwan\u2019s government rejects China\u2019s sovereignty claims. China is\ncurrently intensifying pressure on Taiwan by increasing its military\npresence around the island, keeping Taipei on high alert. The 156-page\nIISS report examines regional military doctrines and Taiwan conflict\nscenarios. US and Chinese forces are expected to have different\nobjectives: China aims to repulse the US and allies, while the US seeks\nto strengthen Taiwan\u2019s resilience.Both sides are likely to launch\nlarge-scale operations across multiple domains. \u201cConflict with China\nrisks escalating to nuclear levels given Taiwan\u2019s importance to\nBeijing,\u201d the document states. \u201cCurrently, there is little public\nevidence that both militaries understand the necessary safeguards to\nprevent or limit attacks on each\u5176\u4ed6 command, control, communications,\ncomputers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR\ncentres,\u201d it adds. \u201cNuclear escalation risks will persist in any major\nUS-China conflict.\u201d IISS Senior researcher Daniel Salisbury said nuclear\nissues were not specifically addressed in the recent Trump-Xi meeting,\nand US-China nuclear relations remain complex. He noted that during the\nCold War, the US had extensive arms control discussions with the Soviet\nUnion, but engaging China would be harder due to its secretive nuclear\narsenal. Despite this, the US and Russia still have far larger nuclear\narsenals than China. US officials and arms control analysts say China is\nexpanding and modernising its nuclear capabilities faster than any other\nnation. A Pentagon report in December estimated China will have 1,000\nnuclear warheads by 2030. The Federation of American Scientists\nestimates Russia has 4,400 active warheads, the US 3,700, and China 620.\nMeanwhile, Taiwan awaits US approval for a reported $14 billion (\u00a311.3\nbillion) arms deal. Trump stated he had not yet decided on the package\nafter meeting Xi. US acting Navy secretary Hung Cao said on 21 May that\nthe arms sale was delayed to ensure sufficient ammunition for Operation\nEpic Fury in Iran. sources said Trump would soon decide, but no update\nhas been provided. \u201cThe sale requires years of processing and is\nunrelated to Operation Epic Fury,\u201d a source said, reference the February\nUS-Israel operation. \u201cThe US military has enough ammunition, weapons,\nand stockpiles to support all of President Trump\u2019s strategic objectives\nand more.\u201d The United States is bound by the Taiwan Relations Act of\n1979 to help Taiwan maintain its self-defence capabilities, and\u2026<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/us-china-taiwan-tensions-risk-nuclear-escalation-report-warns-1779974491",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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