There was speculation among US-based China experts this week that the White House was growing increasingly frustrated with China and could change policies and move closer to Taiwan, even agreeing to sell it new weapon systems.
However, sources close to the administration of US President Barack Obama told the Taipei Times that it was not considering a change in policy.
And while there were concerns about Beijing’s recent belligerence — particularly in the East and South China seas — Taiwan was unlikely to be involved in any US reaction.
Much of the speculation was triggered by an article written by George Washington University professor Robert Sutter, who said the Obama administration had adopted a harder public line against China’s actions and had deepened security cooperation with allies and others threatened by Chinese provocation.
Published on the Center for Strategic and International Studies Web site, the article has been the subject of much discussion by other China experts, with some claiming that Sutter was reflecting the administration’s thinking.
The article was reported in the Taipei Times yesterday.
“Careful consideration needs to be given to options that focus on the many weaknesses and vulnerabilities China faces in dealing with the US,” Sutter wrote.
Among other options, Sutter suggested the US could complicate Chinese defense plans and overall strategy toward Taiwan by allowing the sale of 66 F-16C/D jets “long sought by the Taiwan government.”
“Another option would involve a more active US posture in support of Taiwanese free expression and identity represented by the so-called Sunflower movement on the island,” he said.
One source close to the administration said no one in a policymaking position had suggested selling the F-16C/Ds to Taiwan as a response to China’s moves.
Another source said no serious consideration was being given right now to any new arms sales to Taiwan, and a senior Democratic source in the US Congress confirmed that situation.
US-Taiwan Business Council president Rupert Hammond-Chambers echoed the comments.
“I haven’t heard anything that suggests a change in course for the Obama administration regarding Taiwan,” he said in response to questions from the Taipei Times.
Hammond-Chambers said he did not see a change in the administration’s posture concerning arms sales to the nation.
“The Obama administration has made a clear decision to freeze arms sales to Taiwan in exchange for military-to-military relations with China,” he said.
“It is a false choice, but one that became manifest post the decision to upgrade Taiwan’s F-16s, but not sell new fighters,” Hammond-Chambers said.
“That decision was telegraphed to the Chinese when then-US secretary of defense [Leon] Panetta admitted China had been given a ‘heads up’ on the sale. That incidentally was a violation of the six assurances,” he said.
The CIA has a message for Chinese government officials worried about their place in Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) government: Come work with us. The agency released two Mandarin-language videos on social media on Thursday inviting disgruntled officials to contact the CIA. The recruitment videos posted on YouTube and X racked up more than 5 million views combined in their first day. The outreach comes as CIA Director John Ratcliffe has vowed to boost the agency’s use of intelligence from human sources and its focus on China, which has recently targeted US officials with its own espionage operations. The videos are “aimed at
STEADFAST FRIEND: The bills encourage increased Taiwan-US engagement and address China’s distortion of UN Resolution 2758 to isolate Taiwan internationally The Presidential Office yesterday thanked the US House of Representatives for unanimously passing two Taiwan-related bills highlighting its solid support for Taiwan’s democracy and global participation, and for deepening bilateral relations. One of the bills, the Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act, requires the US Department of State to periodically review its guidelines for engagement with Taiwan, and report to the US Congress on the guidelines and plans to lift self-imposed limitations on US-Taiwan engagement. The other bill is the Taiwan International Solidarity Act, which clarifies that UN Resolution 2758 does not address the issue of the representation of Taiwan or its people in
US Indo-Pacific Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo on Friday expressed concern over the rate at which China is diversifying its military exercises, the Financial Times (FT) reported on Saturday. “The rates of change on the depth and breadth of their exercises is the one non-linear effect that I’ve seen in the last year that wakes me up at night or keeps me up at night,” Paparo was quoted by FT as saying while attending the annual Sedona Forum at the McCain Institute in Arizona. Paparo also expressed concern over the speed with which China was expanding its military. While the US
SHIFT: Taiwan’s better-than-expected first-quarter GDP and signs of weakness in the US have driven global capital back to emerging markets, the central bank head said The central bank yesterday blamed market speculation for the steep rise in the local currency, and urged exporters and financial institutions to stay calm and stop panic sell-offs to avoid hurting their own profitability. The nation’s top monetary policymaker said that it would step in, if necessary, to maintain order and stability in the foreign exchange market. The remarks came as the NT dollar yesterday closed up NT$0.919 to NT$30.145 against the US dollar in Taipei trading, after rising as high as NT$29.59 in intraday trading. The local currency has surged 5.85 percent against the greenback over the past two sessions, central
RSS