The commander of the US Pacific Command, Admiral William Fallon, told US congress members that he "fully supports" US policy regarding China and Taiwan, and that the US government stands ready to fulfill President George W. Bush's 2001 arms sales commitment to Taiwan, in all its elements.
In reply to an Oct. 26 congressional letter concerning the acquisition of diesel-electric submarines by Taiwan, Fallon said that he is "fully committed to our obligation to provide Taiwan with the necessary capabilities for its self-defense."
But he added that "while it is my sincere hope that Taipei and Beijing resolve their differences peacefully, I am deeply concerned about long-term peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait."
"Militarily, we seek to deter China from any use of force against Taiwan. That said, in fulfilling this commitment, we face some significant challenges, " which include "divergent trends in military capabilities between the People's Republic of China [PRC] and Taiwan," he said.
Fallon made the statements in a letter to the congress members on Nov. 8, to address their concerns about news reports that suggest the US Pacific Command has told Taiwanese officials that it should reconsider its purchase of the eight diesel-electric submarines.
"Any such guidance or suggestion ... might also further complicate efforts by security-minded [Taiwanese] officials and lawmakers to help pass in the Legislative Yuan a special defense budget for critical defensive weapon systems," the congress members said.
"Given US commitments around the world, now more than ever, it is imperative that Taiwan maintain a credible defense," Fallon wrote, adding that the most useful thing Taiwan could do to enhance its military deterrence of a PRC attack would be to "increase its own defense capabilities and readiness."
Regarding the sale of the submarines, US Pacific Command personnel "have not attempted to discourage this purchase," he said.
"However, we have strongly and consistently encouraged them to acquire capabilities that would have an immediate impact in their defense. While submarines would provide Taiwan with significant capabilities, a lengthy period of time would be needed to fulfill this long-term acquisition program," he said.
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