The US Steadily Prepares for Security in Asia

The Biden administration and Congress have reaffirmed their commitment to Taiwan by sending bipartisan delegations, even after Taiwan’s presidential election. However, in a show of consideration for China’s position, President Joe Biden has said the U.S. does not support Taiwan independence.

Given repeated intimidation from China to Taiwan under Xi Jinping’s leadership, U.S. involvement is understandable. However, it is also appropriate to urge Taiwan to exercise restraint to avoid escalating tensions. The U.S. should monitor both China and Taiwan and aim for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait while preparing for any potential contingencies.

The U.S. government’s unofficial delegation included former high-ranking officials, and Congress sent two co-chairs of the House Taiwan Caucus. These bipartisan groups met with President Tsai Ing-wen of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party to reaffirm their cooperation with Taiwan.

There have been concerns about these developments inside the U.S. and internationally. Will the U.S. be able to respond effectively to a potential crisis in Taiwan while it addresses the Ukraine war and Middle East crisis? Weapons that the U.S. agreed to supply to Taiwan in recent years have been delayed. A U.S. think tank reports that these delays in delivering weapons, advanced fighter jets, amount to approximately 3 trillion yen (approximately $20.5 billion), raising questions about the impact on emergency preparedness.

The U.S. National Defense Authorization Act, established at the end of last year, has a clear objective to strengthen cooperation between the U.S. and Taiwan. This includes having U.S. forces train the Taiwanese military and supporting cyber defense initiatives. These measures align with the Taiwan Relations Act, which supports Taiwan’s self-defense. The U.S. should implement these acts as soon as possible.

China’s authoritarian actions in Asia extend beyond Taiwan. Recently, in the South China Sea, increased pressure on the Philippines has become evident, with multiple incidents of Chinese ships firing water cannons at and colliding with Philippine vessels.

This month, the U.S. and Philippine militaries conducted joint patrols in the area. The Philippine government has also shown interest in patrolling with Japan. The U.S., Japan, Australia and the Philippines have conducted joint training before. It would be prudent for the Japan Self-Defense Forces to consider expanding their cooperation, within feasible limits.

Building trust with China is crucial for preventing unexpected conflict, even as the U.S. enhances its deterrence capabilities in terms of security. In this context, it is a welcome development that the U.S. and China have resumed discussions between defense authorities this month. We hope that the dialogue with defense ministers, which China declined to engage in, will materialize soon too.