Taiwan should expect a “resolute reaction” from the US if China attacks the island, Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA) vowed on Friday while leading a congressional delegation in Taipei.
“Know that any hostile unprovoked attack on Taiwan will result in a resolute reaction from the US,” Wittman said ahead of a meeting with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen.
On X, formerly known as Twitter, Wittman said China’s “unprovoked aggression toward Taiwan is a threat to the rest of the free world.”
While Wittman is describing China’s increasing military pressure on Taiwan as “unprovoked,” it has come in direct response to the US boosting both military and diplomatic support for the island.
The most obvious example was when then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) visited Taiwan in August 2022, provoking the largest-ever Chinese military exercises around the island. Since then, China has kept up the pressure and regularly sends planes across the median line, an informal barrier that separates the two sides of the Taiwan Strait that Beijing generally avoided crossing before Pelosi’s visit.
China is strongly opposed to congressional delegations visiting Taiwan and all contacts between US and Taiwanese officials.
While President Biden has previously vowed to send troops to defend Taiwan if China attacks, the US is not obligated to intervene as Washington terminated its mutual defense treaty with Taipei in 1980 as part of its normalization of relations with Beijing. In recent years, China hawks have been calling to change the decades-old policy of strategic ambiguity on the issue to strategic clarity, which would make war with a nuclear power much more likely.
China hawks are also calling to arm Taiwan “to the teeth” to deter a Chinese invasion. Wittman said the US must work to fulfill arms deals with Taiwan. “We have an obligation to make sure that we fill the backlog of foreign military sales that exist now between our countries,” he said.
The US recently announced new forms of military aid for Taiwan, which is unprecedented since Washington severed diplomatic relations with Taipei in 1979. The US has always sold weapons to Taiwan but has never financed the purchases or provided them free of charge until this year.
Rep Wittman Vows “Resolute Reaction” if China Attacks a Part of China. FIFY
Abe Lincoln:
Some will claim that Taiwan was never a part of China, which is wrong considering that Taipei calls itself “Republic of China.”
Cool. So that means I can call myself “General Secretary of the Communist Party of China” and that means I get to send Xi packing, right?
The last time Taiwan was ruled from China at all was 1895, and the last time it was ruled by the post-1949 Beijing regime was never.
If pretending that it’s “part of” a mainland geographical region that it’s separated from by a wider sea gulf than England from France or Cuba from Florida floats your boat, well, whatever. But it’s a fairy tale with zero basis in reality.
The old “China Lobby” in Taipei, from decades ago, and a segment done on 60 Minutes decades ago, has returned to its old influence peddling with a different message now, to wit: We are a separate country and no longer a part of China because we aren’t recognized by the UN and the West as the government of all of China.
“the US must work to fulfill arms deals with Taiwan. “We have an obligation to make sure that we fill the backlog of foreign military sales””
who is the CEO of uncle sam inc. ? oh right, the bomb-makers.
Blah… Blah… Blah…!
Watching the transition of an empire into the mild manner Bruce Banner is fun.
And we will make certain China attacks.
Shouldn’t someone be telling this guy that he doesn’t have the authority to “Vow resolute action” to anyone?
Probably not an attack, but a blockade.
China has alerted the world that its red line on Taiwan has been crossed here, China has been prepping for a blockade of Taiwan here and the global economic ramifications of a Chinese blockade on Taiwan are here.
headline — “China signals Xi Jinping will not attend G20 summit in India”
also — “Taiwan reports dozens injured, widespread damage in wake of Typhoon Haikui”
–Isn’t this a good time for China to step it up vs. Taiwan?