What the US wants to be able to do is clear. Prevent an invasion of Taiwan and cut off China's naval trade in a conventional war. Since the US is never going

What the US wants to be able to do is clear. Prevent an invasion of Taiwan and cut off China's naval trade in a conventional war. Since the US is never going to fight a land war with China, they need to be able to impose a blockade. Otherwise, what can the US really threaten to do in a conventional war?