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US national security adviser Robert O’Brien said on Friday that Taiwan should strengthen its defenses in anticipation of an eventual invasion from China.
The communist government of China considers Taiwan to be part of the territory of China. Taiwan, which has its own independent government, is an ally of the United States. In October, Chinese military aircraft were seen violating Taiwanese airspace, prompting Taiwan to scramble its planes to repel the Chinese. O’Brien told the Aspen Security Forum that China may have the military capability to launch an amphibious incursion from Taiwan in the next 15 years.
O’Brien told the Forum that “whether there is an amphibious landing, a missile attack, a gray zone type operation, they really need to fortify themselves.”
“Taiwan should start to consider some asymmetric and denial strategies of anti-access areas,” O’Brien said, “and really strengthen itself in a way that would deter the Chinese from any kind of amphibious invasion or even a gray zone operation. Against them”. . “
O’Brien said China would likely consider a missile strike against Taiwan to be counterproductive.
“I don’t know what they would gain from that,” O’Brien said.
Newsweek contacted the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the United States of America for comment.
Sam Yeh / AFP / Getty
On Saturday, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen expressed her hopes during a speech that China and Taiwan would be able to resolve their differences diplomatically, despite China’s incursions into the Taiwan Strait, a small body of water that separates Taiwan and China. .
“As long as the Beijing authorities are willing to resolve antagonisms and improve cross-strait relations while maintaining parity and dignity,” Tsai said, “we are willing to work together to facilitate meaningful dialogue.”
Despite his call for diplomacy, Tsai also said that Taiwan would increase its defense capabilities. “Proper preparation and reliance on the determination and strength of strong national defense capabilities is the only way to ensure Taiwan’s security and maintain regional peace,” Tsai said.
On Sunday, the Chinese state newspaper Global times He said Tsai’s call for the Taiwan-China talks was “trying to trick the international community into sympathizing.”
According to Global timesChina “is making all combat-level preparations for a possible military conflict that hits the secessionist forces in Taiwan. It is not just a hoax.”
In 2019, Taiwan obtained 66 F-16 fighter jets and 108 Abrams tanks from the US government. US forces have also made their presence known in the Taiwan Straits, much to the chagrin of China. On Wednesday, the Navy destroyer USS Barry sailed across the Straits in what the US Pacific Fleet called a demonstration of “America’s commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
China viewed the transit of the destroyer across the Straits negatively. “We warn the United States to stop its words and deeds that cause trouble,” Colonel Zhang Chunhui, a spokesman for the Eastern Theater Command, said in a statement on Thursday.
