If influence in the Indo-Pacific region is one of the US’ core interests, then Taiwan serves as a cornerstone of US economic and security influence in the region, former US Indo-Pacific Command commander admiral Phillip Davidson said on Thursday.
“China’s ... strategy is to supplant the US leadership role in the international order ... and they’ve long said ... that they intend to do that by 2050,” Davidson told the National Review Institute’s Ideas Summit in Washington.
Davidson said he had previously told US Senate hearings on China’s military activities and possible threats in the Indo-Pacific region that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan could happen within the next 10 years, or even the next six years.
Photo: Cheng I-hwa, Bloomberg
That timeline should not be taken as a definitive plan for China to attack, but rather a timeframe in which China would use economic, diplomatic and military means to weaken the US, and create the impression that China is on the rise while the US is in decline, Davidson said.
China has clearly stated its intent to prioritize “internal” security issues, which includes Taiwan, Davidson said, adding that in light of such statements, the US needs stronger deterrents against China.
Taiwan is a core interest for China, and the US’ regional allies are accustomed to gauging US policy reliability based on the Taiwan Relations Act and long-standing US-Taiwan relations, Davidson said.
Photo: EPA-EFE / Makoto Lin / Presidential Office
While the US should reinforce its relations with partners and allies, which includes assisting Taiwan, Taiwan must invest in strengthening its defenses as well, Davidson said.
Elbridge Colby, nominee for US undersecretary of defense for policy, on March 5 said that Taiwan’s defense spending was insufficient and should come closer to 10 percent of GDP.
Davidson also said that in addition to developing asymmetrical combat capabilities, Taiwan’s traditional combat capabilities also need work, citing how Taiwan needs more traditional weapons platforms, including planes, ships and submarines, to counteract Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) harassment.
The PLA frequently sends its jets and planes into the Taiwanese air defense identification zone, flies past the median line of the Taiwan Strait and sails ships around Taiwan, he said.
Asked what were the possible results of Taiwan becoming a part of China, Davidson speculated that Japan and South Korea would contemplate developing their own nuclear umbrella to safeguard their regional interests, challenging the US stance on nuclear proliferation and possibly destabilizing the US-led Asia-Pacific security architecture.
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