I don't see US troops/armor on the ground in Taiwan....it will be the fleets
Fleets are needed to provide cover for an invasion force. Unless your plan is to starve Taiwan into submission through a blockade. Somehow, I think Taiwan can endure a blockade without surrendering. So tanks and AFVs will have a role.
In general China is blind. America is trying to cripple it with every tool at its disposal. Their tech champions are being cut off from all access to Western licenses and labor. China is only needed by the West as a manufacturing site, not a real competitor. I think soon China will wake up to the reality of this new colonialism, where the West tries to keep us as serfs without agency or initiative. It's just that it would be nice if it already happened and they were helpings us, more than Iran and Korea - two countries that don't need a lesson in sanctions.
lets see what Xi says in Moscow....beside the expectable hugging and nice bollocks!
Our boys, the Russians that is, have already laid out their expectations. Reuters reported yesterday, that we seek "a new level of ties", after this visit. A couple years ago it was a "friendship with no limits". This past year has shown us that the friendship does have certain limits. I guess this visit by Xi, is an attempt by our guys to pitch to China again, regarding why they should support us up to the hilt.
To make this message stronger, we need to show that we are not losing. This is why we need a successful counteroffensive now. Soledar, and Vuhledar are laying some of the foundation, but something more impressive is needed.
China is not going to gamble away it's future if it's not sure we are capable of prevailing. Of course it's a Catch-22, since we are sure we will prevail if China supports us.