Advertisement
US deterring Taiwan invasion by naming China top national security threat and boosting alliances: Pentagon
- Appraisal made as American military keeps up ‘freedom of navigation’ patrols in South China Sea to counter PLA’s growing strength and assertiveness
- ‘The challenge is enormous. The capabilities are growing. The ambition is there,’ says US assistant secretary of defence
Reading Time:4 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
99+
Mark Magnierin New York
The US Indo-Pacific military strategy rolled out the past two years – identifying China as the ultimate American national security challenge, strengthening defence ties with the Philippines, Japan and other allies, and staying on course with robust “freedom of navigation” patrols – should be sufficient to deter Beijing from invading Taiwan within the next decade, but it will not be easy, a senior Pentagon official said on Thursday.
In recent months, the US military has put in place a latticework of alliances and networks on China’s periphery to counter the People’s Liberation Army’s growing strength and assertiveness.
Beijing has condemned the moves as hostile and aggressive, while Washington has justified them as necessary to counter China’s “dangerous” provocations. This comes as bilateral relations between the rivals deteriorate further, fuelling concern of an inadvertent clash.
Advertisement
“It’s not going to be easy. The challenge is enormous. The capabilities are growing. The ambition is there,” said Ely Ratner, assistant secretary of defence for Indo-Pacific security affairs, speaking at the Hudson Institute, a Washington think tank. “It’s going to be really hard. But we’re getting after it with urgency, but also competence and commitment.”
Officials and defence experts said many important pieces have been put into place in recent months they hope will act as a deterrent to any Chinese aggression.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Select Voice
Choose your listening speed
Get through articles 2x faster
1.25x
250 WPM
Slow
Average
Fast
1.25x