Taiwan seeks US help to boost its defences as Beijing ramps up military pressure
- Deputy defence minister Chang Guan-chung tells annual conference that the island needs weapons and equipment that meet its operational needs
- He says the rise of China has complicated the security environment in the Indo-Pacific
Taiwan’s deputy defence minister has appealed to the United States to help boost the island’s defences and step up joint military training as it tries to counter growing threats from Beijing.
“We hope the United States considers the unique operational environment and geographical features of the Taiwan Strait and Taiwan proper and provides us with weapons and equipment that meet our operational requirements, so that we can better manage the battlefield and increase the cost of the enemy to invade Taiwan and thus achieve deterrence,” he said via video link on Monday.
“The rise of China has further complicated the security environment in the Indo-Pacific region. Countries in this region are collectively confronted by the challenges of maintaining regional peace, stability and prosperity,” he said. “Taiwan and the United States share the same set of values and the same beliefs for regional peace and stability.”
