Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin told the Senate Appropriations Committee yesterday that the U.S. must stand by Taiwan, because China’s goal is reuniting Taiwan with the mainland. “In terms of ... what the timeline or time frame for that is, is left to be seen,” he said. “Our position is that we remain committed to helping the defense of Taiwan in terms of providing the ability for them to defend themselves in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act and the Three Communiqués and the Six Assurances.”
Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, then got into a discussion about “when.” Contradicting now-retired Adm. Philip Davidson, the former commander of U.S. Pacific Command, who testified in March that we should expect to see a PLA invasion of Taiwan within the next six years, Milley said, “I think there is little intent right now or motivation to do it militarily. There is no reason to do it militarily. And they know that,” Milley testified, and stated, “so I think right now the probability is low — in the immediate near term future.”
While acknowledging that uniting with Taiwan is a “core interest” for China, Milley signaled that he thought Beijing will pursue such ambitions through peaceful means. “The internal politics of China are up to China, as long as whatever is done is done peacefully and doesn’t destabilize the region nor the world,” Milley said.
In the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, State Department witnesses testified that the Biden Administration will use its global clout and alliances to strengthen Taiwan’s defense, international presence and economy, including its vital semiconductor industry, against China, reported South China Morning Post. Washington will also make clear that Taipei must avoid any provocative action that would compel Beijing to respond, even as it pressures Taiwan to increase its military spending, invest in more mobile coastal cruise missile systems and strengthen its military reserves, they said. “We are also taking steps to make sure that Taiwan is able to defend itself,” said Jonathan Fritz, the State Department’s deputy assistant secretary for China, Mongolia and Taiwan coordination, citing a “porcupine” approach that makes prohibitive the potential cost of any Chinese invasion.
