A US congressional commission has been told that China is “seeking to advance” its sovereignty claim over Taiwan.
“A combination of economic carrots and political pressure is being used to persuade the people of Taiwan to forgo the option of independence and reunify with the mainland,” Bonnie Glaser, senior adviser for Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said at a hearing of the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission on China and evolving security dynamics in East Asia.
“Beijing’s top priority is to deter or slow US intervention in a Taiwan Strait contingency, but these capabilities could be employed in a variety of regional crises or conflict scenarios such as a Chinese seizure of the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands [釣魚台] in which the US attempts to provide assistance to Japan or retake the islands,” she said.
Glaser told the commission that in both the East China Sea and South China Sea, China was pursuing a “salami slicing” strategy.
“Through a steady progression of small steps, none of which by itself is a casus belli, Beijing seeks to gradually change the status quo in its favor,” Glaser said.
She said that decades of reform aimed at professionalization of the armed forces had circumscribed the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) role in foreign policymaking and narrowed its focus to traditional military issues.
“In Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia, the PLA’s influence is likely greatest on policy toward Taiwan, North Korea, Japan, Russia and the US,” Glaser said.
She said that in the coming decade, the US role would be pivotal in shaping the security landscape in the Asia-Pacific region.
“The US must continue to be engaged economically, diplomatically and militarily to shape the future balance of power in the region, and ensure it remains favorable to the interests of the US, its allies and its partners,” she said.
Glaser recommended that Congress should require the administration of US President Barack Obama to produce a strategy paper on the rebalance to Asia, establishing explicit objectives and benchmarks for evaluating progress.
She also said that Congress should urge the Obama administration to impose consequences on China when it violates international laws and norms.
Lastly, Congress should provide resources to support the rebalance to Asia, Glaser said.
“Adequate funding is essential for the US to maintain readiness and presence in the Western Pacific,” she said.
George Washington University international affairs professor Robert Sutter told the commission that China’s achievements in advancing its influence in the Asia-Pacific region over the last 25 years had been “mediocre.”
He said China’s longstanding practice of promoting an image of consistent and righteous behavior in foreign affairs was so far from reality that it “grossly impedes effectively dealing with disputes and differences with neighbors and the US.”
Sutter said there was probably no area where China in recent decades had used coercion and intimidation beyond the bounds of international norms more than Taiwan.
“Calling more attention to China’s gross intimidation and coercion would show regional governments how they might be treated and encourage them to pursue other paths, including closer ties with the US, in order to preserve their independence of action,” Sutter said.
“The Chinese reaction may lead to costs for the US in dealing with China, but those seem offset by the costs China will suffer in what is likely to be a strong and self-centered reaction underlining China’s regional ambitions very much at odds with its neighbors,” he said.
The inspection equipment and data transmission system for new robotic dogs that Taipei is planning to use for sidewalk patrols were developed by a Taiwanese company, the city’s New Construction Office said today, dismissing concerns that the China-made robots could pose a security risk. The city is bringing in smart robotic dogs to help with sidewalk inspections, Taipei Deputy Mayor Lee Ssu-chuan (李四川) said on Facebook. Equipped with a panoramic surveillance system, the robots would be able to automatically flag problems and easily navigate narrow sidewalks, making inspections faster and more accurate, Lee said. By collecting more accurate data, they would help Taipei
STATS: Taiwan’s average life expectancy of 80.77 years was lower than that of Japan, Singapore and South Korea, but higher than in China, Malaysia and Indonesia Taiwan’s average life expectancy last year increased to 80.77 years, but was still not back to its pre-COVID-19 pandemic peak of 81.32 years in 2020, the Ministry of the Interior said yesterday. The average life expectancy last year increased the 0.54 years from 2023, the ministry said in a statement. For men and women, the average life expectancy last year was 77.42 years and 84.30 years respectively, up 0.48 years and 0.56 years from the previous year. Taiwan’s average life expectancy peaked at 81.32 years in 2020, as the nation was relatively unaffected by the pandemic that year. The metric
TAKING STOCK: The USMC is rebuilding a once-abandoned airfield in Palau to support large-scale ground operations as China’s missile range grows, Naval News reported The US Marine Corps (USMC) is considering new sites for stockpiling equipment in the West Pacific to harden military supply chains and enhance mobility across the Indo-Pacific region, US-based Naval News reported on Saturday. The proposed sites in Palau — one of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies — and Australia would enable a “rapid standup of stored equipment within a year” of the program’s approval, the report said, citing documents published by the USMC last month. In Palau, the service is rebuilding a formerly abandoned World War II-era airfield and establishing ancillary structures to support large-scale ground operations “as China’s missile range and magazine
Passengers on Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) will be required to use headphones and make phone calls in gangways under new “quiet travel” rules starting Sept. 22. THSR Chairman Shih Che (史哲) told media that THSR will run a three-month promotional campaign to ensure widespread adoption of the new rules. Those repeatedly ignoring the guidance face the potential termination of their transport contract, which can result in them getting escorted off the train, according to THSR. Shih shared his hope to cultivate an environment conducive to rest and reading for the train’s passengers, stating that these changes aim to “promote self-discipline” among passengers
RSS