U.S. Senator Emphasized “Strategic Clarity” Policy to Deter China

On July 26th, “Ketagalan Forum 2022 – Indo-Pacific Security Dialogue” convened in Taipei. Representatives of U.S., Japan and Taiwan delivered their speeches. U.S. senator Roger Wicker, of the Senate Armed Services Committee, suggested that the U.S. should change their policy from ‘Strategic Ambiguity’ to ‘Strategic Clarity’ to deter the war by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). If the CCP invades Taiwan, the United States would intervene military.

Senator Wicker also addressed that the U.S. Navy needs expansions for naval fleet to surpass the CCP’s naval presents in Pacific while Taiwan needs sufficient missiles, satellites and network to defend over this asymmetric war. Wicker stressed the importance to significantly increase the ‘Pacific Deterrence Initiative’ budget. It emphasized that Pacific Allies including Japan, Taiwan and Korea also need to strengthen their military deployments simultaneously.

Japan is currently working on three Taiwan-Friendly programs, including upgrading the defense capability of Taiwan, promoting a Japanese version of the ‘Taiwan Relations Act’, and supporting Taiwan to join the CPTPP (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement on Trans-Pacific Partnerships). He hopes these programs would enhance more Japan-Taiwan cooperation for military, politics and the economy.

Taiwan legislators Lo Chih-Cheng and Ho Chih-Wei said that Taiwan’s experience in fighting against the threat from the CCP could be shared with democratic allies. By taking democratic countries’ practice, Taiwan would legislate political parties and politicians to expose all messages from the CCP regarding any financial contributions. Both legislators warned the CCP that to keep economic development and growth, war with Taiwan is definitely not the right choice.