US arms sales and support for Taiwan are critical to help the nation develop asymmetric defense capabilities, train its reserve forces and ensure it has agile systems, US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman told a US Senate hearing on Thursday.
At the Senate hearing on “evaluating US-China policy in the era of strategic competition,” Sherman and US Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Ely Ratner were questioned by lawmakers on their assessment of Taiwan-China issues.
Sherman said in her opening remarks that US President Joe Biden would continue to work for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, remain committed to the US’ longstanding “one China” policy and oppose any unilateral changes to the cross-strait “status quo.”
Photo: Reuters
“Our policy has not changed,” she said. “What has changed is Beijing’s growing coercion. So, we will keep assisting Taiwan in maintaining a sufficient self-defense capability.”
US Senator Jim Risch asked Sherman about Taipei’s recent requests for defense items from the US.
The US Department of State’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs last year notified the US Congress of 13 arms sales packages to Taiwan — 10 new sales and three amendments to previously notified sales — the largest number in the past 20 years, Sherman said.
The notifications included sales of munitions for F-16 jets, spare parts for Taiwan’s air force, programs to bolster the capabilities of Taiwan’s army and navy, and continued support for Taiwan’s surveillance radar program, she said.
The department since 2010 has notified Congress of more than US$37 billion in arms sales to Taiwan, including US$21 billion over the past three years, Sherman said.
The developments are critical to US efforts to help Taiwan develop asymmetric defense capabilities, to train and integrate Taiwan’s reserve forces, and to make sure Taiwan has mobile and agile systems, she said.
However, Sherman sidestepped a question by US Senator Bill Hagerty about whether she supported an act that would authorize the US executive branch to propose, and the legislative branch to review, appropriation bills to provide an annual grant to Taiwan of up to US$2 billion from this year to 2027.
“We have to look at every single option we have,” Sherman said.
When asked the same question, Ratner said “the [State] Department was clear that any authorization in the National Defense Authorization Act should be met with appropriation.”
Ratner also told the hearing that he does not think China would engage in any “major aggression” against Taiwan before the end of this decade when asked by US Senator Marco Rubio about the likelihood of such a scenario.
“Is there any way we end this decade without China doing something about Taiwan, one way or the other?” Rubio asked.
“I think they [China] have intention, but absolutely I think we can get to the end of this decade without them committing major aggression against Taiwan,” he said.
Earlier in the hearing, US Senator Chris Murphy asked Ratner’s opinion on whether China had made a decision to pursue unification with Taiwan through force, and whether an armed conflict between the US and China over the Taiwan issue was inevitable.
Citing assessments by US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Ratner said the US Department of Defense maintains that an invasion of Taiwan is not “imminent or inevitable.”
“The [Defense] Department is laser-focused on maintaining deterrence today, tomorrow and in the future,” Ratner said. “We’re going to continue working with our allies and partners to ... ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
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