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A focus on defense a
must for the nation
By Nat Bellocchi ¥Õ¼Ö±T
Just after assuming office, US Secretary of State John Kerry reaffirmed the US¡¦
commitments to Taiwan under the Taiwan Relations Act and also indicated support
for Taiwan¡¦s participation in international bodies, such as the International
Civil Aviation Organization.
In response to questions from US senators on Washington¡¦s adherence to the act
and former US president Ronald Reagan¡¦s ¡§six assurances,¡¨ Kerry reiterated that
the US would supply Taiwan with weapons to maintain adequate defense capability.
It is good that US commitments have been reiterated by the new secretary of
state, but while a number of sales have been initiated over the past few years,
little movement has occurred on the all-important sale of F-16C/Ds which has
been under discussion for years.
The balance of air power across the Taiwan Strait has been tilting heavily
against Taipei: Beijing has been building up its fleet, continuously adding
advanced fighters, while on the Taiwanese side the fleet consists of a motley
collection of aging fighters, some dating back to the Vietnam War.
The only modernization of the Taiwanese fleet being prepared is that of the
existing F-16A/Bs, but to implement this upgrade, a significant number of
aircraft have to be taken out of operation, further reducing the operational
capabilities of the nation¡¦s air defense. A US decision on the F-16C/Ds is in
order.
On the Taiwan side, a firmer commitment to its own defense is needed. US Senator
John Cornyn of Texas recently expressed his disappointment that Taiwan¡¦s
government has not pushed harder for the sale, saying there was a ¡§puzzling
sense of complacency in Taipei.¡¨
Then there are the mixed signals given off by Taipei over the past months about
the disputed Diaoyutai Islands (³¨³½¥x), which Taiwan claims sovereignty over,
along with Japan, which calls them the Senkakus, and China.
Former US deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs
Randy Schriver hit the nail on the head when he said recently that Taiwan should
play a more constructive role in the dispute and ¡§¡K avoid the appearance of
collusion with China,¡¨ saying that such a move would ¡§be viewed unfavorably¡¨ by
the US.
Japan is a key security partner for Taiwan. Taipei should ensure that relations
with Tokyo improve instead of following a downward drift, as was the case last
year.
In his speech at the Heritage Foundation on Feb. 8, Schriver also pointed out:
¡§Japan is arguably Taiwan¡¦s second-most important security partner. If Taiwan
undertakes activities that cause problems with Tokyo, that will cause problems
with the United States and that should be avoided.¡¨ There are others who argue
that Taiwan should do more to help itself.
James Holmes of the Naval War College spoke on the issue at a seminar at the
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars on Feb. 26. Holmes said that
China¡¦s primary strategy seems to be to deter Washington from intervening on
Taiwan¡¦s behalf through an array of anti-access measures, such as its new
anti-ship missiles. He added that Taipei should rededicate itself to its defense
by helping the US counter these measures.
Holmes added that Taiwan needs to ¡§pivot to its own defense¡¨ by raising defense
spending to 3 percent of its GDP and by enhancing its defense capabilities in
coordination with its allies Japan and the US.
The best guarantee for Taiwan¡¦s existence as a free, democratic nation is its
alliance with its democratic friends and allies, not a dalliance with a
repressive and undemocratic neighbor.
Nat Bellocchi served as a US deputy assistant secretary of state and US
ambassador and is a former chairman of the American Institute in Taiwan. The
views expressed in this article are his own.
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