The top US commander in the Asia-Pacific region on Tuesday cast doubt on Taiwan’s chances of taking part in next year’s Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC).
US Congress members last month formally asked US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel to invite Taiwan to RIMPAC, the biggest multinational maritime military exercises in the world.
However, when asked in a briefing at the Washington Foreign Press Center about the possibility of Taipei receiving an invitation to the exercises, US Admiral Samuel Locklear III did not respond affirmatively.
“Now to the question of Taiwan and RIMPAC, that’s a policy decision that would have to be made about whether or not that would occur,” he said. “And you know all the policy implications.”
Locklear has recently appeared positive about holding bilateral meetings between US and Chinese military leaders, and about Beijing agreeing to participate in the RIMPAC in May next year.
He has said that would represent a big commitment by Beijing because Chinese ships would operate alongside allied and partner navies under US command.
While Locklear did not explicitly say so, it is likely that Taiwan’s invitation to join the exercises would prompt a negative reaction from Beijing.
“Our primary role, our primary goal today is to ensure that the cross-strait stability continues … and is promoted,” Locklear said at the briefing
“We want to do the things that improve the opportunity for success and stability, rather than try to find things that might make it less stable,” he added.
“To the degree that we would throw an exercise like RIMPAC into that discussion, we’d have to have a long policy discussion about the implications and the pros and cons of doing that, not only between our relationship — the US’ relationship with Taiwan — but also about the stability of the region in general,” the admiral said. “That’s the dialogue we’ll have to have.”
Asked about what the next flashpoint in the Asia-Pacific region could be, Locklear said the area had been relatively peaceful for a long time.
“As a people and as a military, we should expect it to remain peaceful,” he said. “We should expect all parties to look for opportunities to de-escalate and maintain peace rather that create friction that would cause escalation.”
However, he said that a nuclear-capable North Korea was his No. 1 concern and posed “the most danger for the world at large.”
He said his next biggest concern was to make sure that the region worked through “all these territorial issues and that they don’t turn into a flash point.”
Locklear said the US should continue to ensure that national leaders and diplomats were able to conduct dialogues.
The goal is to create “space for dialogue,” and ensure the sufficient peace and prosperity required to allow negotiation processes to work, he said.
EXPRESSING GRATITUDE: Without its Taiwanese partners which are ‘working around the clock,’ Nvidia could not meet AI demand, CEO Jensen Huang said Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) and US-based artificial intelligence (AI) chip designer Nvidia Corp have partnered with each other on silicon photonics development, Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) said. Speaking with reporters after he met with TSMC chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) in Taipei on Friday, Huang said his company was working with the world’s largest contract chipmaker on silicon photonics, but admitted it was unlikely for the cooperation to yield results any time soon, and both sides would need several years to achieve concrete outcomes. To have a stake in the silicon photonics supply chain, TSMC and
SILICON VALLEY HUB: The office would showcase Taiwan’s strengths in semiconductors and artificial intelligence, and help Taiwanese start-ups connect with global opportunities Taiwan has established an office in Palo Alto, one of the principal cities of Silicon Valley in California, aimed at helping Taiwanese technology start-ups gain global visibility, the National Development Council said yesterday. The “Startup Island Taiwan Silicon Valley hub” at No. 299 California Avenue is focused on “supporting start-ups and innovators by providing professional consulting, co-working spaces, and community platforms,” the council said in a post on its Web site. The office is the second overseas start-up hub established by the council, after a similar site was set up in Tokyo in September last year. Representatives from Taiwanese start-ups, local businesses and
‘DETERRENT’: US national security adviser-designate Mike Waltz said that he wants to speed up deliveries of weapons purchased by Taiwan to deter threats from China US president-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for US secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, affirmed his commitment to peace in the Taiwan Strait during his confirmation hearing in Washington on Tuesday. Hegseth called China “the most comprehensive and serious challenge to US national security” and said that he would aim to limit Beijing’s expansion in the Indo-Pacific region, Voice of America reported. He would also adhere to long-standing policies to prevent miscalculations, Hegseth added. The US Senate Armed Services Committee hearing was the first for a nominee of Trump’s incoming Cabinet, and questions mostly focused on whether he was fit for the
SHARED VALUES: The US, Taiwan and other allies hope to maintain the cross-strait ‘status quo’ to foster regional prosperity and growth, the former US vice president said Former US vice president Mike Pence yesterday vowed to continue to support US-Taiwan relations, and to defend the security and interests of both countries and the free world. At a meeting with President William Lai (賴清德) at the Presidential Office in Taipei, Pence said that the US and Taiwan enjoy strong and continued friendship based on the shared values of freedom, the rule of law and respect for human rights. Such foundations exceed limitations imposed by geography and culture, said Pence, who is visiting Taiwan for the first time. The US and Taiwan have shared interests, and Americans are increasingly concerned about China’s
RSS