Ukraine is model for Taiwan defence if Beijing attacks island’s ‘sovereignty’: US official

Name: ‘The Chinese people defend their sovereignty,’ Beijing slams US for sending delegation to Taiwan
Uploaded: 2022-03-11T07:07:52.000Z
Duration: 1 min 29 s
Description: ‘The Chinese people defend their sovereignty,’ Beijing slams US for sending delegation to Taiwan

Taiwan must boost asymmetric capabilities so it can be ‘as prickly as possible’, US defence official Mara Karlin tells Senate

Chinese embassy in Washington warns of ‘unbearable consequences’ for those on the US side abetting forces for Taiwan independence

Reading Time:2 minutes

Why you can trust SCMP

99+

Taiwanese air force pilots run past an armed US-made F-16V fighter at a military base in southern Taiwan in January. The US is Taiwan’s main weapons supplier. Photo: AFP

Reuters

Published: 3:07pm, 11 Mar 2022Updated: 3:31pm, 11 Mar 2022

Ukraine’s stiff resistance against the invasion by Russian forces could be a model for Taiwan to defend itself should Beijing choose to violate the island’s “sovereignty” by attacking, a senior US defence official told a Senate hearing.

The United States does not have formal ties with Taiwan but is its main arms supplier, and has long urged the self-ruled island to buy cost-effective and mobile defence systems, or so-called asymmetric weapons, to counter Beijing’s more powerful military.

“I think the situation we’re seeing in Ukraine right now is a very worthwhile case study for them about why Taiwan needs to do all it can to build asymmetric capabilities, to get its population ready, so that it can be as prickly as possible should China choose to violate its sovereignty,” said Mara Karlin, assistant secretary of defence for strategy, plans and capabilities.

Under the US’ “one-China” policy, Washington only acknowledges Beijing’s stance that Taiwan belongs to it, but takes no position on the island’s sovereignty.

01:29

‘The Chinese people defend their sovereignty,’ Beijing slams US for sending delegation to Taiwan

Beijing bristles at any reference to democratically self-governed Taiwan as independent, and its ambassador to Washington warned in January that US encouragement of independence could trigger a military conflict between the two superpowers.

Asked about Karlin’s remark to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, a spokesman for the Chinese embassy in Washington, Liu Pengyu, said some in the US had abetted forces for Taiwan independence in a bid to hold back China’s rejuvenation.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x