Taiwan is most likely to be limited to observer status if the US invites it to the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) military exercises this year, a report published on Wednesday by the Institute for National Defense and Security Research said.
Speculation has been rife over Taiwan’s participation since US President Joe Biden signed the fiscal 2022 US National Defense Authorization Act, which includes a “Sense of Congress” resolution recommending that Taiwan be involved in the Rim of the Pacific Exercise this year.
However, “Sense of Congress” resolutions are not legally binding, and the Biden administration has not said that Taiwan would for the first time be invited to the world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise.
Photo: Reuters
In the think tank report, resident research officer Liu Ying-chieh (劉穎傑) said that Taiwan’s participation in RIMPAC would most likely be limited to sending observers.
Washington’s “one China” policy would prevent it from inviting Taiwan to join in the war games, send small units or coordinate with other participants in real time from a different location, Liu said.
The sensitive nature of such types of participation would likely spark protest from Beijing, as the US’ “one China” policy acknowledges that the People’s Republic of China represents China and Taiwan’s status has yet to be settled, Liu added.
However, even sending observers would benefit Taiwan, as it could learn about warfare concepts, weapons platforms, coordinated operations and multinational coalitions, Liu said.
Understanding the preparations needed to participate in an international joint military exercise is extremely important, Liu added.
The option of sending Ministry of National Defense observers to board warships and gain an understanding of the exercise process and content would help the military design battlefield scenarios for its Han Kuang military exercises, he said.
If Taiwan’s role went beyond observing, such as sending small units or coordinating from a different location, the military could focus on the division and integration of tasks, coordination between the units and the effective execution of orders, he said.
Participating in the exercises would give Taiwan’s military leaders the opportunity to see how they make decisions under pressure and reveal their blind spots, he said.
RIMPAC, hosted every two years near Hawaii by the US Pacific Fleet, has never invited Taiwan to participate.
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