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A Hong Kong media outlet reported that China could attack US military bases in Asian countries like South Korea and Japan during a conflict over Taiwan, drawing parallels to Iran's recent actions.

China's Scenario: Attacking Asian US Military Bases During Taiwan Conflict

Hong Kong's South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported on the 12th local time that China could potentially attack US military bases in Asia, including those in South Korea and Japan, in response to a US attack during a contingency such as a Taiwan conflict, drawing inspiration from Iran's example. The media outlet analyzed that Iran's missile attacks on US military bases in the Middle East following US and Israeli airstrikes offered a preview of how China might respond should a Taiwan Strait conflict erupt. A minimum of 11 US military bases in the Middle East were reportedly damaged.

Vulnerability of US Military Bases in Asia and China's Capabilities

Lyle Goldstein, a senior fellow at Brown University's Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, pointed out that the vulnerability of US forces stationed in Japan, the Philippines, and South Korea to a large-scale attack by China has long been raised. The Indo-Pacific region hosts 24 permanent US military bases and 20 military facilities used by the US Department of Defense, with key bases including Japan's Okinawa and Kadena Air Base, and South Korea's Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek. Analysts suggest that China possesses the capability to inflict significant damage on targeted US military bases in the Asia-Pacific region within the initial hours of a military conflict. However, they also predict that China would not attack US military bases in the Asia-Pacific region if the United States decides not to intervene in a cross-Strait conflict.

*Source: YouTube: Yonhap News TV (March 12, 2026)*

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