Two visiting US senators yesterday pledged to strengthen deterrence against what they described as the “axis of aggression” led by China, in a rare news conference held at the Presidential Office in Taipei.
“There is an axis of aggression that threatens the freedom of many people around the world,” US Senator Roger Wicker, who chairs the US Senate Committee on Armed Services, said shortly after a meeting with President William Lai (賴清德).
The Republican lawmaker and vocal supporter of Taiwan was specifically referring to China, Russia, North Korea and Iran, whose leaders are reportedly gathering in Beijing next week for a military parade marking the end of World War II after Japan’s surrender.
Photo: EPA / Liu Shu Fu/Presidential Office
Wicker emphasized the need for the US and its allies to build up deterrence against China, which he described as “the pacing threat,” adding that the US-led camp “are faced with the most dangerous security moment since World War II.”
“War has come when we let our guard down, when we thought that peace would always remain, and [when] we did not pay attention to mounting threats,” he added.
Wicker said he wished to reaffirm to Taiwan “our determination to remain the best of friends and to defend the freedom of everyone and both of our great countries.”
Photo: CNA
“It is our determination and our intention that Taiwan remain free and make its own decisions,” Wicker said.
US Senator Deb Fischer, who sits on the same committee, said that Washington and Taipei must “invest wisely to strengthen deterrence and to ensure that our defenses are prepared for the threats of tomorrow.”
Neither Wicker nor Fischer specified what sort of efforts are needed to more effectively deter China, other than citing enhanced cooperation between militaries and defense industries.
Photo: Lo Pei-de, Taipei Times
“The importance of deterrence is to be able to have friends, partners [and] allies around the world who work together” to take on “aggressive [and] belligerent” nations, Fischer said.
“A stronger Taiwan means a stronger United States, and vice versa,” she added, calling Beijing’s increasing military threats and political pressure on Taiwan “unacceptable.”
The two senators, who arrived in Taiwan earlier yesterday for a two-day trip, did not disclose details of their meeting with Lai, saying only that the conversation was “meaningful” and “productive.”
Their Taiwan visit is part of a wider regional tour that also includes stops in Hawaii, Guam, Palau and the Philippines.
During the meeting, Lai emphasized his administration’s commitment to strengthening asymmetric capabilities through arms purchases from the US and domestically developed defense programs. He also called for joint research-and-development (R&D) projects to help narrow the military imbalance across the Taiwan Strait.
China’s state media reported that the country’s defense budget this year is an estimated US$249 billion, more than 10 times Taiwan’s.
However, Lai said that Taiwanese remain resolute in defending their nation.
“We will not allow any encroachment on, or annexation of, our sovereignty,” he said.
Additional reporting by AFP
NETWORK-MAPPING PROJECT: The database contains 170 detailed files of Taiwanese politicians and about 23 million records of household registration data in Taiwan China has developed a network-mapping project targeting political figures and parties in Taiwan to monitor public opinion during elections and to craft tailored influence campaigns aimed at dividing Taiwanese society, according to documents leaked by Chinese technology firm GoLaxy (中科天璣). The documents, collected by Taipei-based Doublethink Lab, showed a database was specifically created to gather detailed information on Taiwanese political figures, including their political affiliations, job histories, birthplaces, residences, education, religion and a brief biography about them. Several notable Taiwanese politicians are in the database, including President William Lai (賴清德), former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍),
RECOGNITION: Former Fijian prime minister Mahendra Chaudhry said that Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy serves as a stabilizing force in the Indo-Pacific region Taiwan can lead the unification of the Chinese people, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former Polish president Lech Walesa said in Taipei yesterday, adding that as the world order is changing, peaceful discussion would find good solutions, and that the use of force and coercion would always fail. Walesa made the remarks during his keynote address at a luncheon of the Yushan Forum in Taipei, titled “Indo-Pacific Partnership Prospects: Taiwan’s Values, Technology and Resilience,” organized by the Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Walesa said that he had been at the forefront of a big peaceful revolution and “if
North Korea tested nuclear-capable rocket launchers, state media reported yesterday, a day after Seoul detected the launch of about 10 ballistic missiles. The test comes after South Korean and US forces launched their springtime military drills, due to run until Thursday. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Saturday oversaw the testing of the multiple rocket launcher system (MRLS), the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. The test involved 12 600mm-caliber ultra-precision multiple rocket launchers and two artillery companies, it said. Kim said the drill gave Pyongyang’s enemies, within the 420km striking range, a sense of “uneasiness” and “a deep understanding
UPGRADED MISSILE: The Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology is reportedly to conduct a live-fire test of the Hsiung Feng III anti-ship missile on Thursday next week The US Army is planning to build new facilities to boost explosives production and strengthen its supply chain, a move aimed at addressing munitions shortages and supporting obligations to partners including Taiwan, Ukraine and Israel, Defense News reported. The army has issued a sources sought notice for a proposed Center of Excellence at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky, the report said. The facility would serve as a hub within the US industrial base for the production of key military explosives, including research department explosives (RDX) and high melting explosives (HMX), while also supporting research and development of next-generation materials. The proposed
RSS