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Taipei must not
accept China¡¦s air zone: Bolton
By William Lowther / Staff reporter in WASHINGTON
Former US representative to the UN John Bolton said that Taipei could gain
¡§substantial support¡¨ from its neighbors by distancing itself from China¡¦s
¡§belligerent¡¨ declaration of an air defense identification zone (ADIZ).
¡§Taiwan has an interesting potential role,¡¨ he said.
Bolton said that by stating publicly that it does not recognize Beijing¡¦s
defense zone, and that it wants to confer with Japan, South Korea and other
nations to align their responses, Taiwan could reduce its international
isolation.
Writing in the Wall Street Journal ¡X the article is also to be published by the
American Enterprise Institute (AEI) ¡X Bolton said that by taking action now,
Taiwan would ¡§serve notice¡¨ that it will not accept being declared part of
China¡¦s next power projection.
A senior fellow at AEI, Bolton said that China¡¦s declaration on Nov. 23 of an
air defense identification zone over the Diaoyutai Islands (³¨³½¥x) ¡X also claimed
by Taiwan and Japan, where they are known as the Senkaku Islands ¡X ¡§is
indicative of a much larger problem for the United States.¡¨
China¡¦s growing military and its ¡§aggressive territorial claims¡¨ leave the US in
urgent need of new strategic thinking.
Bolton suggested three ¡§building blocks¡¨ for a more realistic strategy.
Washington has an ¡§enormous opportunity¡¨ to maintain and expand its influence
along China¡¦s periphery from India to Japan, he said.
¡§Whether we have the wit to exploit this opportunity remains to be seen,¡¨ he
added.
US allies in Asia would welcome a stronger, more visible Washington role in the
region ¡§even if they won¡¦t necessarily say so expressly in today¡¦s uncertain and
dangerous environment,¡¨ he said.
Second, the US can no longer countenance massive military-budget cuts and should
welcome Japan resuming a normal nation¡¦s full self-defense role, Bolton said.
Third, the US and its allies should press China to join a vigorous campaign to
counter the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction by North Korea, Iran
and others.
Resident fellow at AEI Dan Blumenthal points out that within China, domestic
insecurity is growing, Chinese President Xi Jinping (²ßªñ¥) may be facing a series
of economic crises and the Chinese population is aging, which will be very
expensive.
¡§Washington and its allies need to undermine China¡¦s strategy and the coercion
that it requires,¡¨ says Blumenthal in a commentary published by The National
Interest.
¡§Subtly demonstrating China¡¦s manifold problems and vulnerabilities may help Xi
get back to the important work of solving his country¡¦s manifold problems,¡¨ says
Blumenthal.
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