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What is the Best Defense for Taiwan?

In anticipation of the Department of Defense’s annual report on the People’s Republic of China, the Center for National Policy hosted a lunchtime Asia Security Project event featuring two of the pre-eminent experts on cross-straight relations: John Tkacik of the Heritage Foundation and Ted Galen Carpenter of the Cato Institute. The meeting focused on determining the best defense for Taiwan and what role the United States should play in the relationship. Our speakers had strong and often divergent opinions on the topic and consequently could agree on only one thing: Taiwan must take on more responsibility by investing more in its own defense.

Dr. Carpenter stated that the primary American objective in the region should be to avoid war with China over Taiwan. Coming to the defense of Taiwan should be an important but secondary objective. In an effort to balance both objectives, Carpenter suggested the United States should readily provide generous military arms packages to Taiwan including arms that are not wholly defensive. Yet, this aid should be tied to a clear understanding that the United States will not become involved in an armed struggle between the PRC and Taiwan.

Mr. Tkacik views the situation somewhat differently. To him a strategy of war avoidance is folly because it puts “the entire [international] community at the mercy of the most ruthless actor.” To him, coming to the defense of Taiwan is the primary objective, though he worries the Bush administration has “relegated Taiwan to the lowest rung of Asia-Pacific states with which it must deal.”

Tkacik suggested that to have any hope of maintaining Taiwan’s de facto independence, both the United States and Taiwan must do more. Taiwan needs to build a national consensus and develop clear national strategic goals. Taiwan must invest more towards their defense and must pursue offensive weapons systems to complicate Chinese strategic planning. The United States must make these weapons available despite Chinese opposition, according to Tkacik.

CNP Views

• The United States should encourage Taiwan to maintain a more robust defense. Taiwan needs to increase its defense budget from its current level of 2.2 percent of GDP and devote more money to weapons systems that have the highest chance of defending against a Chinese invasion force (i.e. submarines, advanced fighter aircraft, and cruise missiles.)
  


• The United States must live up to the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 and approve Taiwan’s requested arms package despite opposition from Beijing.
  


• The United States must make it clear to both sides that provocative actions are not acceptable and should discourage the Taiwanese government from making confrontational gestures that could disturb the peaceful status quo.