1、2025/7/15 19:26South Korea is the ideal anchor for the first island chain-Atlantic Councilhttps:/www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-research-reports/issue-brief/south-korea-is-the-ideal-anchor-for-the-first-island-chain/1/7Issue BriefJuly 10,2025 2:35 pm ETSouth Korea is the ideal anchor for the?rst i
2、sland chainBy Brian KergOverwhelmingly,commentary regarding Chinese military aggression focuses on the area known as the“?rst island chain,”stretching from thePhilippines to the south,through Japan in the north,with Taiwan at the centerpiece.Taiwan remains the focus because control of Taiwan,whether
3、by military force or other coercive means,remains a national security objective of the Chinese Communist Party.As this geography includesmutual-defense treaty allies of the United States,it is understood as a multinational chain restraining Chinese hostility.Should China attempt amilitary seizure of
4、 Taiwan,the likelihood of the con?ict expanding to include the entirety of the?rst island chainand US forces stationed ordeployed thereremains high.However,this discussion largely omits another likely participant that could prove decisive in deterring such a?ght and in determining its outcome:South
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