U.S.-Taiwan collaboration to develop defense capabilities that can be used by each other’s militaries can be extremely useful in countering China’s efforts to suppress its adversaries with technology, and not only can the U.S. and Taiwan work together to research, design, develop, and produce military capabilities relevant to Taiwan’s defense, but they can also further develop cooperation in the defense industry supply chain, according to U.S. Defense Department officials.
Following the conclusion of the two-day U.S.-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference, which was held via video link, the U.S.-Taiwan Business Association, which hosted the conference, released the closed-door remarks of David Helvey, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs, and AIT Chairman James Moriarty to the media.
Helvey said that joint U.S.-Taiwan development of defense capabilities for use by each other’s militaries in times of peace or conflict would be extremely useful in countering China’s quest to technologically overwhelm its adversaries, and that it is important that not only U.S. and Taiwanese political and military leaders, but also the defense industry on both sides be prepared to support this potential form of cooperation.
He said that Taiwan has many small and medium-sized companies that provide components in addition to large government-related defense firms, and he encouraged the U.S. defense industry to continue discussions on how to work with Taiwan’s R&D, technical expertise, and business networks to identify ways in which both sides can support Taiwan’s acquisition of significant self-defense capabilities.
David Hay noted that while many of the semiconductor chips supporting U.S. artificial intelligence, 5G networks and the military are designed in the U.S., about 47 percent of U.S.-designed chips are made in Taiwan, “TSMC’s announcement to establish a fab in Arizona will make a big difference, not only for the U.S. semiconductor industry, but also for U.S. national security. “
In addition, David Hay also said that the Department of Defense believes that the U.S. and Taiwan can further think about defense capabilities and technology supply chain cooperation, especially in Taiwan’s TSMC will produce 5-nanometer chips in the U.S. TSMC’s investment will create jobs, promote high-tech industry clusters, and support U.S.-Taiwan technological leadership in the future, “Importantly, Taiwan’s leading semiconductor companies in the U.S. will have a strong presence in the U.S.,” he said. footprint, providing opportunities for our industry to collaborate on intellectual property protection and ensuring that chips, like our troops, are protected against a variety of potential threats.”
In his speech, David also noted that the increasing use of bullying and coercion by the Chinese Communist Party in the region, from the South China Sea and the East China Sea to the Indian border, has cast a long, dark shadow across the Indo-Pacific region, but that Taiwan is a shining model of democracy for the region and the world.
He said that while the region and the world continue to benefit from Taiwan’s experience and expertise in the neo-crowning epidemic, the Chinese Communist Party has pressured Taiwan with diplomatic isolation, military threat actions, cyber-attacks, economic pressure, and other forms of influence activities, and the development of various military capabilities such as warships, warplanes, missiles, and cyber-information warfare has made today’s PLA more mission-focused and resource-rich.
“The PLA’s actions test Taiwan’s capabilities and readiness to respond to coercion; in fact, they are a test of the resilience of Taiwanese society, and they are a test of the international community’s commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region.” He said that the PRC’s threat to Taiwan is also part of a broader security challenge to the Indo-Pacific region, and that the PLA’s entry into Taiwan’s waters and airspace is destabilizing, increases the likelihood of miscalculation, and poses risks to regional prosperity and security, but he wanted to make clear that “while the PLA’s actions are real and dangerous, the PLA is not invincible. “
Taiwan can send a clear signal to Beijing through smart investments that Taiwan’s society and its armed forces are absolutely determined to defend Taiwan, and that the Tsai Ing-wen government’s defense budget increase is a step in the right direction, but that Taiwan must also find a balance between autonomous development, foreign procurement, and maintaining existing systems to support an effective and recurring military deterrent, David Haidt said.
He also stated that the United States continues to encourage Taiwan to seek multi-domain deterrence capabilities by investing in “a lot of small capabilities,” such as highly mobile coastal defense cruise missiles, as well as short-range defense and control capabilities, defensive mines, and small fast-attack boats, which are highly survivable and suited to Taiwan’s geography. “More importantly, their goal is to prepare Taiwan’s armed forces for a battle they cannot afford to lose,”
James Moriarty of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) spoke at Monday’s opening ceremony. He said that much has happened since the conference was held around the same time last year, including Taiwan’s presidential election, the U.S. government’s notification to Congress of an estimated $800 million in military sales to Taiwan, and the ravages of the Xinguan epidemic, while at the same time, “the threat of the People’s Republic of China’s ambitions to the United States and its allied partners, particularly Taiwan, has become increasingly clear.”
China, he said, has doubled down on its bullying and belligerence toward Taiwan during this period, including military exercises, cyberattacks, and hostile rhetoric around Taiwan, and, in the case of the Xinguan epidemic, has blocked Taiwan’s participation in the World Health Organization’s contribution to global public health; more importantly, Xi Jinping himself insisted that Taiwan must accelerate its reunification with the People’s Republic of China under the one country, two systems model, but “That model has been rejected by almost all Taiwanese. The reason is that the PRC’s actions to implement that model in Hong Kong have made it clear that the PRC seeks not only reunification with Taiwan, but also the destruction of Taiwan’s democracy.”
Mok pointed out that the Taiwan Relations Act of 41 years ago already emphasized that the United States views Taiwan’s security as central to the security of the broader Indo-Pacific region, and that stable cross-strait relations are therefore essential to maintaining regional stability, and that position has not changed.
In many recent public speeches and testimony, Mok said, the U.S. has emphasized that “the growing threat from Beijing requires closer U.S.-Taiwan cooperation to maintain Taiwan’s security and regional stability.”
The U.S. welcomes the Tsai administration’s decision to significantly increase its defense budget, Mokian said, and “President Tsai’s determination to maximize Taiwan’s deterrent capabilities reflects her understanding of the growing threat posed by the People’s Republic of China.”
Regarding Taiwan’s emphasis on building its own defense capabilities, Mokian said the U.S. welcomes this, but Taiwan must do its part by making wise investments in weapons and maintenance, training diligently, developing military guidelines, and making necessary reforms. “Taiwan must be ready today.”
He said, “New combat vehicles, aircraft and missiles can improve Taiwan’s current military capabilities, but ultimately, the will and ability of the Taiwanese people to defend themselves against aggression, their homeland and their way of life, will provide the most likely effective deterrent.”
In closing, in this time of considerable uncertainty, Taiwan can be confident that the United States remains committed to fulfillilling both the letter and the spirit of the Taiwan Relations Act-with respect to commercial, cultural, and other relations – as well as security.
Finally, Mok concluded that at this time of great uncertainty, Taiwan can be confident that the United States remains true to its commitment to fulfilling the letter and meaning of the Taiwan Relations Act, not only with respect to commercial, cultural, and other relations, but also with respect to security relations.
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