Russia’s invasion of Ukraine underscores the need to increase US military vigilance in the Indo-Pacific given the risk that Beijing might decide to attack Taiwan, top US defence officials told Congress on Wednesday. Lessons from Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion include the need for Taiwan to bolster its own defence, the vital role global outrage has played and the effective way that sanctions raised the cost for the authoritarian state, said Ely Ratner, assistant secretary of defence for Indo-Pacific security affairs. “The international community coming together around this kind of aggression is an important signal to potential aggressors in the Pacific,” Ratner told the House Armed Services Committee during a three-hour hearing. Ratner added that Washington was encouraged by Taipei’s US$2.37 billion order for 100 Harpoon anti-ship missiles, slated for delivery in 2025. “I wish they were arriving there yesterday,” he said, adding that the US continued to be guided by the one-China policy. “We are turning over every rock to see how we can accelerate the provision of these capabilities.” US response to Ukraine invasion raises doubts over defence of Taiwan US lawmakers overseeing defence issues said that China’s rapid economic, diplomatic and military build-up – particularly during President Xi Jinping’s tenure – has challenged the Pentagon to become more efficient, adaptable and adept at using technology. “We all want a world where China and the US peacefully coexist, and that is what we are working towards,” said Representative Adam Smith, a Democrat from Washington state who is the committee’s chairman. “But over the course of the last decade at least, it has become clear that President Xi and China intend something more combative than that.” Smith continued: “With Russia’s unprovoked and devastating invasion of Ukraine, we have been reminded that we can’t just focus on one part of the world. But the Indo-Pacific region is clearly one of the most important parts.” Military officials told the panel that top regional priorities include ensuring that Guam can withstand an attack from China. The island is now getting a US$11 billion infrastructure upgrade. Also key is a regional network – now under development – allowing allies and various US military branches to communicate through a single secure “tactical cloud system”, said Admiral John Aquilino, commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command. “We absolutely need to move faster” given the China threat, Aquilino said. Creating a seamless Indo-Pacific communication network presents enormous challenges, however, given the distances, number of players involved, varied communication standards of allies and risk of hacking in the region, defence officials said. “PRC penetration of networks throughout the region is quite severe, and it’s something we need to manage,” said Ratner, referring to the People’s Republic of China. India was the subject of repeated questioning by lawmakers, who asked why a US partner and member of the informal Quad security group failed to support a UN resolution condemning Russian aggression, abstaining instead. Pentagon officials responded that India was a strong ally but had a complex history, having traditionally bought most of its military hardware from Moscow. While it is switching to Western suppliers, they said, the transition takes time. “It’s trending in the right direction,” Ratner said. General Paul LaCamera, head of the US Combined Forces Command in South Korea, expressed concern about Chinese economic pressure on Seoul, which is heavily dependent on oil from Russia, China’s ally. “Are they trying to drive a wedge between the United States and the Republic of Korea as a way of winning without fighting?” he asked, referring to Beijing. North Korea boasts of ‘shaking the world’ with missiles that can strike US Defence officials said that North Korea, which has launched nine missiles already this year, remains a regional focal point, as does Russia – which they said had positioned some 20 ships and submarines in positions in the Indo-Pacific region to defend its eastern flank before mounting its attack on Ukraine. Analysts said the Ukraine crisis showed that the US must multitask, rely on its allies and do more in the Indo-Pacific to bolster economic ties. “We don’t have the luxury of sort of making a choice. Yes, China is the top foreign policy priority. But we can’t choose to either face down Russian aggression or Chinese aggression,” said Lisa Curtis, a Centre for a New American Security fellow. “We have to be able to operate in different regions. And it’s not all about military resources.” As the hearing ended, Pentagon officials said that China under Xi seems increasingly aggressive, adding that they did not believe US policies were the cause. “His capabilities are growing,” Ratner said of Xi. “And his patience seems to be decreasing.”