Taiwan can look to Ukraine and Israel to learn about deterrence, which is a better option than war, former US deputy national security adviser Matt Pottinger said during a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday.
Pottinger, chairman of the China Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, is visiting Taiwan at the head of delegation of US and Israeli security experts who are also members of the foundation.
The group is scheduled to depart today.
Photo: CNA
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine provided a vital insight to Taiwan: “Deterrence is far preferable to war,” Pottinger said.
The formula of effective deterrence and safeguarding Taiwan’s peace and prosperity is “capability times credibility,” he said.
Capability includes asymmetrical and affordable munitions, realistic training and smart tactics, and a large number of small, mobile, dispersed, precision, lethal weapons, he said.
In addition to learning from the courage, confidence and the will to fight of Ukrainian soldiers and citizens, Taiwan can learn from Israel about demonstrating credibility during peacetime, Pottinger said.
Israel, with less than half of Taiwan’s population and without its natural barriers, has won every battle and deterred invasion in the past 50 years, he said.
He praised Taipei’s decision to restore one-year compulsory military service, calling it “a step toward building a culture, as well as an ecosystem, that will enhance deterrence, ensuring that Taiwan remains a guardian at the front line of free and democratic society.”
The delegation believes that with the firm support of other democracies, Taiwan is “assembling the ingredients to safeguard its peace and security,” Pottinger said.
Tsai thanked the foundation for repeatedly urging the international community to support Taiwan and thanked Pottinger for his continuous attention to cross-strait issues.
Peace and stability are keys to maintaining the international order, as authoritarian expansionism threatens democracy around the world, Tsai said.
Taiwan will continue to improve its self-defense capabilities, build a resilient democratic front with like-minded partners and secure global supply chains, she said.
For example, the Global Cooperation and Training Framework is an important platform for Taiwan to exchange opinions with democratic countries, while the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade is a major achievement in trade between Taiwan and the US, she said.
In other news, US Senator Marco Rubio on Wednesday introduced a bill seeking to expedite arms sales to Taiwan and reinforce Washington’s support of Taipei.
Rubio introduced the Taiwan Peace Through Strength Act to increase deterrence in the Taiwan Strait as Taiwan faces the increased threat of Chinese military attacks, his office said in a press release.
“Make no mistake: Deterring an invasion of Taiwan must be our top priority,” Rubio said.
The proposal cames ahead of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s scheduled visit to China on Sunday.
The bill seeks to require the US secretary of defense to conduct a classified annual review of US plans to defend Taiwan.
The review should assess Taiwan’s current and near-term capabilities, and the force readiness, conflict contingency plans and risks of the US, the bill says.
It calls on the US secretaries of defense and state to prioritize and expedite the processing of requests from Taiwan in accordance with the Foreign Military Sales program.
The US’ Taiwan Relations Act should be amended by replacing “arms of a defensive character” with “arms conducive to the deterrence of acts of aggression by the [Chinese] People’s Liberation Army,” it says.
The secretary of defense should establish a high-level military planning mechanism between the US and Taiwan to oversee joint exercises and coordinate international military education and training, the bill says.
The US should establish a “Taiwan Critical Munitions Acquisition Fund” of up to US$2 billion per year to ensure adequate stocks of critical munitions and finance the acquisition of such items, it says.
US representatives Jim Banks and Chris Pappas are to introduce companion legislation in the US House of Representatives, Rubio’s office said.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old