There was speculation among US-based China experts this week that the White House was growing increasingly frustrated with China and could change policies and move closer to Taiwan, even agreeing to sell it new weapon systems.
However, sources close to the administration of US President Barack Obama told the Taipei Times that it was not considering a change in policy.
And while there were concerns about Beijing’s recent belligerence — particularly in the East and South China seas — Taiwan was unlikely to be involved in any US reaction.
Much of the speculation was triggered by an article written by George Washington University professor Robert Sutter, who said the Obama administration had adopted a harder public line against China’s actions and had deepened security cooperation with allies and others threatened by Chinese provocation.
Published on the Center for Strategic and International Studies Web site, the article has been the subject of much discussion by other China experts, with some claiming that Sutter was reflecting the administration’s thinking.
The article was reported in the Taipei Times yesterday.
“Careful consideration needs to be given to options that focus on the many weaknesses and vulnerabilities China faces in dealing with the US,” Sutter wrote.
Among other options, Sutter suggested the US could complicate Chinese defense plans and overall strategy toward Taiwan by allowing the sale of 66 F-16C/D jets “long sought by the Taiwan government.”
“Another option would involve a more active US posture in support of Taiwanese free expression and identity represented by the so-called Sunflower movement on the island,” he said.
One source close to the administration said no one in a policymaking position had suggested selling the F-16C/Ds to Taiwan as a response to China’s moves.
Another source said no serious consideration was being given right now to any new arms sales to Taiwan, and a senior Democratic source in the US Congress confirmed that situation.
US-Taiwan Business Council president Rupert Hammond-Chambers echoed the comments.
“I haven’t heard anything that suggests a change in course for the Obama administration regarding Taiwan,” he said in response to questions from the Taipei Times.
Hammond-Chambers said he did not see a change in the administration’s posture concerning arms sales to the nation.
“The Obama administration has made a clear decision to freeze arms sales to Taiwan in exchange for military-to-military relations with China,” he said.
“It is a false choice, but one that became manifest post the decision to upgrade Taiwan’s F-16s, but not sell new fighters,” Hammond-Chambers said.
“That decision was telegraphed to the Chinese when then-US secretary of defense [Leon] Panetta admitted China had been given a ‘heads up’ on the sale. That incidentally was a violation of the six assurances,” he said.
Nvidia Corp yesterday unveiled its new high-speed interconnect technology, NVLink Fusion, with Taiwanese application-specific IC (ASIC) designers Alchip Technologies Ltd (世芯) and MediaTek Inc (聯發科) among the first to adopt the technology to help build semi-custom artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure for hyperscalers. Nvidia has opened its technology to outside users, as hyperscalers and cloud service providers are building their own cost-effective AI chips, or accelerators, used in AI servers by leveraging ASIC firms’ designing capabilities to reduce their dependence on Nvidia. Previously, NVLink technology was only available for Nvidia’s own AI platform. “NVLink Fusion opens Nvidia’s AI platform and rich ecosystem for
WARNING: From Jan. 1 last year to the end of last month, 89 Taiwanese have gone missing or been detained in China, the MAC said, urging people to carefully consider travel to China Lax enforcement had made virtually moot regulations banning civil servants from making unauthorized visits to China, the Control Yuan said yesterday. Several agencies allowed personnel to travel to China after they submitted explanations for the trip written using artificial intelligence or provided no reason at all, the Control Yuan said in a statement, following an investigation headed by Control Yuan member Lin Wen-cheng (林文程). The probe identified 318 civil servants who traveled to China without permission in the past 10 years, but the true number could be close to 1,000, the Control Yuan said. The public employees investigated were not engaged in national
CAUSE AND EFFECT: China’s policies prompted the US to increase its presence in the Indo-Pacific, and Beijing should consider if this outcome is in its best interests, Lai said China has been escalating its military and political pressure on Taiwan for many years, but should reflect on this strategy and think about what is really in its best interest, President William Lai (賴清德) said. Lai made the remark in a YouTube interview with Mindi World News that was broadcast on Saturday, ahead of the first anniversary of his presidential inauguration tomorrow. The US has clearly stated that China is its biggest challenge and threat, with US President Donald Trump and US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth repeatedly saying that the US should increase its forces in the Indo-Pacific region
ALL TOGETHER: Only by including Taiwan can the WHA fully exemplify its commitment to ‘One World for Health,’ the representative offices of eight nations in Taiwan said The representative offices in Taiwan of eight nations yesterday issued a joint statement reiterating their support for Taiwan’s meaningful engagement with the WHO and for Taipei’s participation as an observer at the World Health Assembly (WHA). The joint statement came as Taiwan has not received an invitation to this year’s WHA, which started yesterday and runs until Tuesday next week. This year’s meeting of the decisionmaking body of the WHO in Geneva, Switzerland, would be the ninth consecutive year Taiwan has been excluded. The eight offices, which reaffirmed their support for Taiwan, are the British Office Taipei, the Australian Office Taipei, the