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WASHINGTON: A senior White House official on Friday (Oct. 16) urged Taiwan to develop its military capabilities to protect itself against a possible invasion from China, saying Beijing would have that capability in 10 to 15 years.
President Donald Trump’s national security adviser Robert O’Brien told the Aspen Security Forum that a missile strike by China, which views Taiwan as a rogue province, would be too destructive.
An amphibious attack, he said, is a possibility, although at the moment beyond China’s ability.
But China could combine that threat with “gray zone” operations, embargoes, harassment and other actions to intimidate the island if Taipei does not strengthen its defense, O’Brien said.
“What we told our Taiwanese friends is to know all this, whether there is an amphibious landing, a missile attack, a gray zone type operation, they really need to get stronger.”
“Taiwan should start to consider some anti-access area denial and asymmetric strategies … and really strengthen itself in a way that deters the Chinese from any kind of amphibious invasion or even a gray zone operation against them,” he said Or Brien.
China has stepped up pressure on Taiwan over the past year, sending attack and surveillance aircraft into its airspace and ships near its waters.
Earlier this week, Beijing posted video of a military exercise simulating a missile invasion and amphibious landings.
At the same time, news reports said that Taiwan was close to purchasing missile systems from the United States.
For decades, Taiwan’s security has been based in part on close relations with the United States.
But there is always ambiguity about whether Washington would step in and defend Taiwan if China attacks.
While China has a large number of missiles aimed at Taiwan, O’Brien said he did not believe that Beijing currently wants to attack the island.
“I don’t know what they would gain from that,” he said.
“If they did that, perhaps they would undoubtedly become outcasts internationally for the senseless destruction of Taiwan.”
However, noting China’s huge naval buildup, he said: “Maybe in 10 or 15 years, they will be in better shape to do it.
Defense News reported this week that the United States plans to sell various weapons systems, including Reaper missiles and drones, to Taiwan.
