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What would be the advantage of a US weapons depot on Taiwan?
- The United States is reportedly stepping up efforts to build an arms warehouse on the island, similar to others it has around the world
- A stockpile could help Taiwan hold out against an attack but there are more factors at play, observers say
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Lawrence Chungin Taipei
A US weapons stockpile on Taiwan would help it hold out during an attack from the PLA but it could also prompt Beijing to advance its plans to retake the self-ruled island, observers said.
And for such a depot to be built, both Taipei and Washington must address other problems, including the location, the main users and who would be responsible for maintaining it, they said.
The assessment comes after The New York Times, citing unnamed officials, reported on Wednesday that the United States was stepping up efforts to build a huge weapons warehouse in Taiwan in the wake of People’s Liberation Army war games around the island.
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In August, the PLA held unprecedented live-fire drills and fired ballistic missiles over Taiwan in response to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei.
It also sent warplanes and warships across the median line in the Taiwan Strait, the de facto line separating the island and the mainland. Those crossings have continued since the drills in what Taiwanese and US officials say is an effort by the PLA to create a new normal for a future attack on the island.
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Taiwan showcases fighter jets as mainland China’s war games continue following Pelosi visit
Taiwan showcases fighter jets as mainland China’s war games continue following Pelosi visit
Beijing, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, saw Pelosi’s trip as a violation of its sovereignty and a breach of Washington’s one-China policy.
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