Many observers had grown numb to yet another Chinese military exercise encircling Taiwan. But after two weeks, the maneuvers did not end. Instead, China quietly transformed its “exercise” into a suffocating naval blockade, sealing off all maritime routes around the island. Beijing’s timing was impeccable. Anticipated shortfalls in carrier strike group and marine expeditionary unit coverage — driven by personnel shortages, deferred ship maintenance, and overcrowded shipyards — left U.S. Indo-Pacific Command with few options to counter China’s tightening grip. Yet, just when the situation seemed irretrievable, the U.S. Marine Corps’ agile stand-in forces stationed inside the first island chain
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