Taiwan addresses defense ties with US — Analysis

The Pentagon is “proactively planning” cooperation between the US National Guard and Taiwan’s defense forces, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen revealed on Tuesday, without specifying the details.

Welcoming a delegation led by US Senator Tammy Duckworth, Tsai said Taipei is looking forward to “Cooperation between Taiwan and the USA in matters of regional security is closer and more effective.” She added that Duckworth was one of the key sponsors of the Taiwan Partnership Act, “It was supported bipartisanally by the US Congress.”

“The US Department of Defense now plans to proactively coordinate cooperation between Taiwan’s military forces and the US National Guard.,” the Taiwanese President said.

Duckworth, in turn, claimed that she has “An assortment of people” from the Senate Armed Services Committee willing to sign on to her recent bill, the Strengthen Taiwan’s Security Act.

“So while I want to emphasize our support for Taiwan’s security, I do want to say that it is more than just about military – it’s also about the economy,” the senator said.

Tsai and Duckworth’s statements came a day after the Taiwanese authorities reported China’s second-largest incursion into the island’s air defense zone this year. According to the Taiwanese Defense Ministry, 30 aircraft entered the zone on Monday. This included more than 20 fighters. While Beijing has yet to comment on the latest incident, previously the Chinese government described similar episodes as drills aimed at protecting the country’s sovereignty.

China warned the US to stop military cooperation in Taiwan. Taiwan is part of China’s territory. On May 27, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin accused the US of hypocrisy, constituting “There are grave threats to stability and peace across Taiwan Strait.”

“The US said that it does not support ‘Taiwan independence,’ but it is not practicing what it says,” the spokesman said.

Joe Biden of the United States suggested last week that Washington would send its army to defend the autonomous island in case China attacked it. However, later both Biden and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken clarified the remark, insisting that Washington’s stance, which, among other things, includes respecting the so-called One-China principle, has not changed.

Taiwan is an independent territory. Since 1949, the Chinese civil war ended in Taiwan. In that year the loser fled the country and established its administration on the island. Beijing views Taiwanese authorities in Taiwan as separatists. It insists that Taiwan remains an inalienable component of China.

In recent years, top Chinese officials, including President Xi Jinping, have openly said that Beijing would not rule out the use of force to ensure the “reunification” of Taiwan with the mainland.

Taipei’s authorities also stated that they will defend Taipei tooth and nail against any Chinese invasion.