Enter to over prepare then under. 1:20 ratio will allow the PLA to better prevent an insurgency forming that would allow the Taiwanese to resupply from large arms depots hidden in the mountains. Look at what a lower then necessary troops numbers did in Afghanistan, Iraq, Ukraine.
This is not about a punitive attack, but seizing and controlling Taiwan such that the reminants of the Taiwanese military and outside power can force Chinese troops off the island.
If the Chinese land with overwhelming force, it’s possible the Taiwanese maybe more willing capitulate, rather then fight. A lot for troops may also enable the PLA to do many small operations, and move faster then the best units of the Taiwanese, preventing them from maintaining their overall cohesion.
Defeating each unit in detail, rather then confronting a force that has time to gather itself and counter attack and defeat in detail the PLA at the beachheads.
IMHO, There will be a huge increase in the size of the PLA airborne troops; paratroopers and heliborne troops, possibly in the hundreds of thousands. So if we see the PLA produce hundreds of helicopters a year, it will be an indicators that they are building up this capability. It’s a capability they will need after a war, to reinforce their border should their neighbors all act in unison to actively counter China.
To hold the Island, resupply will have to be mostly by sea, and so a large force will be needed for that.
I’m sure the Chinese are study the US marines operations in the pacific in WW2, and the D-day invasion as well as the plans to invade the Japanese home islands (Operation Downfall) in WW2, if they hadn’t capitulated. The size and scope of those plans mean any love will be large and noticeable
