Is the Iran War a Rehearsal for the Taiwan Strait Conflict? CNN: US and China Both Learning Lessons
As the Iran conflict enters its third month, China is closely observing US combat capabilities, while the US is also learning lessons, recognizing its potential role as the defender rather than the attacker in a future Pacific theater, according to CNN. Experts warn that China may be overestimating its advantages and lacks sufficient experience.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 11, 2026 at 18:50
- 🔍 Collected: May 11, 2026 at 19:02 (11 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 11, 2026 at 19:54 (52 min after Collected)
CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY
(Central News Agency, Washington, May 11, comprehensive foreign report) CNN cited experts as pointing out that as the Iran war enters its third month, China is using this opportunity to observe the practical military capabilities of the United States. At the same time, the US is also drawing lessons, realizing that it may become the defender rather than the attacker in a future Pacific theater.
CNN interviewed several experts from China, Taiwan, and other regions to explore the implications of the past two months of warfare in and around the Persian Gulf for a potential future conflict between the US and China. These experts warned that China might be misjudging its own advantages and simultaneously lacks experience, holding too limited a view of conflict and its consequences.
Former Chinese Air Force Colonel Fu Qianshao stated that his main takeaway from the current Iran war is that the PLA cannot neglect its own defensive capabilities. Iran has found ways to circumvent anti-missile defense systems like the US Patriot and THAAD.
Fu told CNN, "We need to invest significant effort in identifying weaknesses in our defense to ensure we are invincible in future wars."
Analysts pointed out that Iran was able to use relatively outdated technology to break through US air defense systems in the Persian Gulf, including low-cost Shahed drones and even cheaper ballistic missiles.
Meanwhile, the US launched aerial offensives against Iran, employing advanced weapons like the F-35 and B-2, complemented by low-cost guided munitions dropped by military aircraft such as the B-1, B-52, and F-15, destroying various targets from missile launchers and ships to bridges.
Fu Qianshao stated that Beijing must seriously address this combined approach, "We must thoroughly study how to effectively protect critical facilities, airports, and ports from attacks and surprise assaults."
In scenarios where a US-China conflict might erupt, Taiwan is often viewed as a potential flashpoint. Taiwanese analysts believe that China has built an army capable of matching the US in high-tech precision weaponry while also rivaling Iran in low-cost, high-volume drone tactics.
Jie Zhong, an associate research fellow at Taiwan's Institute for National Defense and Security Research, told CNN, "In China's joint military operations against Taiwan, long-range rockets and drone swarms will certainly play a key role."
At the same time, the US is also learning lessons and has realized that if a conflict erupts in the Pacific, it might play the role of the defender rather than the attacker.
Admiral Samuel Paparo, Commander of US Indo-Pacific Command, stated in a Senate hearing in April this year that drones have significantly increased the operational costs for attackers.
If a war breaks out in Taiwan, Taiwan or the US might deploy drones to attack Chinese ships or military aircraft carrying possibly hundreds of thousands of PLA soldiers, crossing the Taiwan Strait to launch attacks and occupation operations.
Regardless of each vessel or aircraft and the troops they carry, their value far exceeds that of the drones capable of destroying them. This deterrent effect has been proven in the Iran war, where the US Navy, wary of Iran's asymmetric warfare, rarely sent ships through the Strait of Hormuz into the Persian Gulf.
Beijing has almost certainly taken note of Paparo's argument. He advocates for deploying thousands of drones in the air, on the sea, and underwater in the Taiwan Strait to strike the PLA, making it difficult for them to cross the strait and approach Taiwan.
Another thing the Chinese military lacks is actual combat experience. The PLA has not experienced intense warfare since the Sino-Vietnamese War in February 1979. In contrast, the US military has fought twice in Iraq, participated in the war in Afghanistan, and conducted faster military operations in places like Kosovo and Panama.
If China were to clash with the US in the next decade, the US would then have a large number of personnel who have experienced the current Persian Gulf conflict firsthand or participated in operational planning. They have witnessed comrades fall and equipment lost, achieved overwhelming victories, and executed high-level precision operations.
Analysts say it remains to be seen how quickly the PLA can adapt to a similarly rapidly changing battlefield once it is embroiled in war. (Compiler: Chen Cheng-chien) 2026/05/11
(Central News Agency, Washington, May 11, comprehensive foreign report) CNN cited experts as pointing out that as the Iran war enters its third month, China is using this opportunity to observe the practical military capabilities of the United States. At the same time, the US is also drawing lessons, realizing that it may become the defender rather than the attacker in a future Pacific theater.
CNN interviewed several experts from China, Taiwan, and other regions to explore the implications of the past two months of warfare in and around the Persian Gulf for a potential future conflict between the US and China. These experts warned that China might be misjudging its own advantages and simultaneously lacks experience, holding too limited a view of conflict and its consequences.
Former Chinese Air Force Colonel Fu Qianshao stated that his main takeaway from the current Iran war is that the PLA cannot neglect its own defensive capabilities. Iran has found ways to circumvent anti-missile defense systems like the US Patriot and THAAD.
Fu told CNN, "We need to invest significant effort in identifying weaknesses in our defense to ensure we are invincible in future wars."
Analysts pointed out that Iran was able to use relatively outdated technology to break through US air defense systems in the Persian Gulf, including low-cost Shahed drones and even cheaper ballistic missiles.
Meanwhile, the US launched aerial offensives against Iran, employing advanced weapons like the F-35 and B-2, complemented by low-cost guided munitions dropped by military aircraft such as the B-1, B-52, and F-15, destroying various targets from missile launchers and ships to bridges.
Fu Qianshao stated that Beijing must seriously address this combined approach, "We must thoroughly study how to effectively protect critical facilities, airports, and ports from attacks and surprise assaults."
In scenarios where a US-China conflict might erupt, Taiwan is often viewed as a potential flashpoint. Taiwanese analysts believe that China has built an army capable of matching the US in high-tech precision weaponry while also rivaling Iran in low-cost, high-volume drone tactics.
Jie Zhong, an associate research fellow at Taiwan's Institute for National Defense and Security Research, told CNN, "In China's joint military operations against Taiwan, long-range rockets and drone swarms will certainly play a key role."
At the same time, the US is also learning lessons and has realized that if a conflict erupts in the Pacific, it might play the role of the defender rather than the attacker.
Admiral Samuel Paparo, Commander of US Indo-Pacific Command, stated in a Senate hearing in April this year that drones have significantly increased the operational costs for attackers.
If a war breaks out in Taiwan, Taiwan or the US might deploy drones to attack Chinese ships or military aircraft carrying possibly hundreds of thousands of PLA soldiers, crossing the Taiwan Strait to launch attacks and occupation operations.
Regardless of each vessel or aircraft and the troops they carry, their value far exceeds that of the drones capable of destroying them. This deterrent effect has been proven in the Iran war, where the US Navy, wary of Iran's asymmetric warfare, rarely sent ships through the Strait of Hormuz into the Persian Gulf.
Beijing has almost certainly taken note of Paparo's argument. He advocates for deploying thousands of drones in the air, on the sea, and underwater in the Taiwan Strait to strike the PLA, making it difficult for them to cross the strait and approach Taiwan.
Another thing the Chinese military lacks is actual combat experience. The PLA has not experienced intense warfare since the Sino-Vietnamese War in February 1979. In contrast, the US military has fought twice in Iraq, participated in the war in Afghanistan, and conducted faster military operations in places like Kosovo and Panama.
If China were to clash with the US in the next decade, the US would then have a large number of personnel who have experienced the current Persian Gulf conflict firsthand or participated in operational planning. They have witnessed comrades fall and equipment lost, achieved overwhelming victories, and executed high-level precision operations.
Analysts say it remains to be seen how quickly the PLA can adapt to a similarly rapidly changing battlefield once it is embroiled in war. (Compiler: Chen Cheng-chien) 2026/05/11