Taiwan is most likely to be limited to observer status if the US invites it to the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) military exercises this year, a report published on Wednesday by the Institute for National Defense and Security Research said.
Speculation has been rife over Taiwan’s participation since US President Joe Biden signed the fiscal 2022 US National Defense Authorization Act, which includes a “Sense of Congress” resolution recommending that Taiwan be involved in the Rim of the Pacific Exercise this year.
However, “Sense of Congress” resolutions are not legally binding, and the Biden administration has not said that Taiwan would for the first time be invited to the world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise.
Photo: Reuters
In the think tank report, resident research officer Liu Ying-chieh (劉穎傑) said that Taiwan’s participation in RIMPAC would most likely be limited to sending observers.
Washington’s “one China” policy would prevent it from inviting Taiwan to join in the war games, send small units or coordinate with other participants in real time from a different location, Liu said.
The sensitive nature of such types of participation would likely spark protest from Beijing, as the US’ “one China” policy acknowledges that the People’s Republic of China represents China and Taiwan’s status has yet to be settled, Liu added.
However, even sending observers would benefit Taiwan, as it could learn about warfare concepts, weapons platforms, coordinated operations and multinational coalitions, Liu said.
Understanding the preparations needed to participate in an international joint military exercise is extremely important, Liu added.
The option of sending Ministry of National Defense observers to board warships and gain an understanding of the exercise process and content would help the military design battlefield scenarios for its Han Kuang military exercises, he said.
If Taiwan’s role went beyond observing, such as sending small units or coordinating from a different location, the military could focus on the division and integration of tasks, coordination between the units and the effective execution of orders, he said.
Participating in the exercises would give Taiwan’s military leaders the opportunity to see how they make decisions under pressure and reveal their blind spots, he said.
RIMPAC, hosted every two years near Hawaii by the US Pacific Fleet, has never invited Taiwan to participate.
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
A wild live dugong was found in Taiwan for the first time in 88 years, after it was accidentally caught by a fisher’s net on Tuesday in Yilan County’s Fenniaolin (粉鳥林). This is the first sighting of the species in Taiwan since 1937, having already been considered “extinct” in the country and considered as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A fisher surnamed Chen (陳) went to Fenniaolin to collect the fish in his netting, but instead caught a 3m long, 500kg dugong. The fisher released the animal back into the wild, not realizing it was an endangered species at
The High Prosecutors’ Office yesterday withdrew an appeal against the acquittal of a former bank manager 22 years after his death, marking Taiwan’s first instance of prosecutors rendering posthumous justice to a wrongfully convicted defendant. Chu Ching-en (諸慶恩) — formerly a manager at the Taipei branch of BNP Paribas — was in 1999 accused by Weng Mao-chung (翁茂鍾), then-president of Chia Her Industrial Co, of forging a request for a fixed deposit of US$10 million by I-Hwa Industrial Co, a subsidiary of Chia Her, which was used as collateral. Chu was ruled not guilty in the first trial, but was found guilty
DEADLOCK: As the commission is unable to forum a quorum to review license renewal applications, the channel operators are not at fault and can air past their license date The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said that the Public Television Service (PTS) and 36 other television and radio broadcasters could continue airing, despite the commission’s inability to meet a quorum to review their license renewal applications. The licenses of PTS and the other channels are set to expire between this month and June. The National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) stipulates that the commission must meet the mandated quorum of four to hold a valid meeting. The seven-member commission currently has only three commissioners. “We have informed the channel operators of the progress we have made in reviewing their license renewal applications, and
RSS