WASHINGTON DC, KOMPAS.com – National Security Advisor AS Robert O’Brien said on Friday (16/10/2020) that Taiwan must increase its defenses in anticipation invasion China.
The Chinese communist government regards Taiwan as part of China’s territory. Taiwan, which has its own independent government, is a US ally.
In October, Chinese military jets were seen violating Taiwan’s air space, causing Taiwan to launch its jets to drive China away.
O’Brien told the Aspen Security Forum that China could have the military capacity to launch amphibious attacks on Taiwan within the next 15 years.
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Launch Newsweek on Friday (16/1/2020), O’Brien told the Forum that “whether there was an amphibious landing, missile attack, a gray zone type operation, they really need to fortify themselves. “
“Taiwan needs to start looking at some asymmetrical and anti-access area denial strategies,” said O’Brien, “and really fortify itself in a way that would deter China from any kind of amphibious invasion or even gray zone operations against them. “
O’Brien said that China would likely find a missile attack on Taiwan counterproductive.
“I don’t know what they will get out of it,” O’Brien said.
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On Saturday, President of Taiwan Tsai Ing-wen expressed hope in his speech that China and Taiwan could resolve their differences diplomatically, even if China attacked the Taiwan Strait, a small waterway that separates Taiwan and China.
“As long as the Beijing authorities are willing to resolve antagonisms and promote cross-strait relations, while parity and dignity are maintained,” said Tsai, “we are willing to work together to facilitate meaningful dialogue.”
Apart from his calls for diplomacy, Tsai also said that Taiwan would increase its defense capabilities.
“Adequate preparation and round determination as well as strength of ability defense solid nationality, is the only way to ensure Taiwan’s security and maintain regional peace, “said Tsai.
Also read: US sends 3 advanced weapons to Taiwan, which angers China
On Sunday, China’s state-owned newspaper, Global Times, saying that Tsai’s call for talks between Taiwan and China “seeks to deceive the international community for sympathy.”
According to Global Times, China “is making full combat-level preparations for a possible military conflict that could strike Taiwanese separatist forces. This is not just bluff.”
“Taiwan is an integral part of Chinese territory, and the Taiwan issue is purely an internal Chinese affair which does not allow for foreign interference,” a spokesman for the People’s Republic of China Embassy in the United States said in a statement sent to Newsweek on Friday.
“Any attempt to contain China with Taiwanese questions or solicit foreign support will yield nothing,” he added.
Also read: China Accuses Taiwan of Spying, Taipei Berang
“China has the strong will, full confidence and sufficient capability to thwart the interference of external forces and the separatist actions of the ‘Taiwan independence’ forces and firmly safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the statement continued.
In 2019, Taiwan acquired 66 F-16 fighter jets and 108 Abrams tanks from the U.S. government. U.S. forces have also made their presence known in the Taiwan Strait, which has disappointed China.
On Wednesday, the Navy destroyer USS Barry sailed through the Strait in what the US Pacific Fleet called a demonstration of “US commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
China views the destroyer transit through the Strait in a negative light. “We warn the US to stop its words and deeds that are provoking trouble,” Eastern Fleet Command spokesman Colonel Zhang Chunhui said in a statement on Thursday.
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