{"id":1739162,"date":"2022-11-15T07:54:06","date_gmt":"2022-11-15T12:54:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1739162"},"modified":"2022-11-15T09:33:48","modified_gmt":"2022-11-15T14:33:48","slug":"as-china-threat-grows-congress-looks-to-arm-taiwan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/as-china-threat-grows-congress-looks-to-arm-taiwan\/","title":{"rendered":"As China Threat Grows, Congress Looks to Arm Taiwan"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fas-china-threat-grows-congress-looks-to-arm-taiwan%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1739162&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/wp-apps\/imrs.php?src=https:\/\/arc-anglerfish-washpost-prod-washpost.s3.amazonaws.com\/public\/CRPSNPQMXMI63CHIYWG4HW5O4I.jpg&#038;w=1440\" class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\" alt=\"image\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">Mindful of lessons learned from Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine, Congress is pushing to arm and train Taiwan in advance of any potential military attack by China, but whether the aid materializes could depend on President Biden himself.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">Deliberations on an unprecedented package of billions of dollars in military assistance to the self-governing island democracy come as Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping meet in Bali on Monday, with maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait a top item of discussion.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">The bipartisan effort would enable the U.S. military to dip immediately into its own stocks of weapons such as Javelins and Stingers \u2014 something done at this scale only for Ukraine, officials said \u2014 and provide weapons for the first time to Taiwan through the foreign military financing program, paid for by the United States.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">Through these provisions, Taiwan could receive weapons and equipment such as anti-ship cruise missiles and anti-air defense systems, self-detonating drones, naval mines, command-and-control systems, and secure radios.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">The idea is essentially to do for Taipei what is being done for Kyiv \u2014 but before the bullets start flying, lawmakers said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">\u201cOne of the lessons of Ukraine is that you need to arm your partners before the shooting starts, and that gives you your best chance of avoiding war in the first place,\u201d said Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.), a Marine veteran who serves on the House Armed Services Committee.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">National security adviser Jake Sullivan said in September on <a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/jake-sullivan\/id1400511832?i=1000580307283\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">a Bloomberg show<\/a> that it \u201cremains a distinct threat that there could be a military contingency around Taiwan.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p><span class=\"font--article-body font-copy hide-for-print ma-0 pb-md db italic interstitial\"><a data-qa=\"interstitial-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/world\/2022\/10\/18\/china-seize-taiwan-plan-blinken\/?itid=lk_interstitial_manual_12\">China plans to seize Taiwan on \u2018much faster timeline,\u2019 Blinken says<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">The Democratic leaders of the House and the Senate support the provisions to arm Taipei, but it is not clear that the lawmakers who control the purse strings \u2014 the appropriations committees \u2014 are convinced of the need to allocate the funds.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">Currently, there is no money for this package in the 2023 budget proposal that Congress is working to pass, and if appropriators don\u2019t find cuts to cover the weapons assistance, Biden will have to submit an emergency request to finance the spending for Taiwan and make the case for why it\u2019s necessary, congressional aides say.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">Administration officials declined to say whether they would do so.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">\u201cOur engagement with Congress has been focused on ensuring that legislation that moves forward is clearly consistent with our policy framework that has helped maintain peace and stability across the [Taiwan] Strait,\u201d said a senior administration official, who like several others interviewed for this report spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the matter\u2019s sensitivity.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">The assistance package, the details of which are being finalized now in the must-pass National Defense Authorization Act, has been crafted with White House input, congressional aides said. It would allow the provision annually to Taiwan of $1 billion worth of stockpiled U.S. munitions \u2014 what\u2019s known as \u201cpresidential drawdown authority\u201d \u2014 and up to $2 billion worth of weapons annually for five years paid for with U.S. tax dollars. Only Israel gets more on an annual basis.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">Congressional advocates say the aid would be consistent with the United States\u2019 obligations under the Taiwan Relations Act, which states that it is U.S. policy to provide Taiwan arms to enable its self-defense.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), an Armed Services Committee member, said the goal is to \u201cmake the Taiwanese a formidable military force that can defend itself, like the Ukrainians, or at least make it very hard for the People\u2019s Liberation Army to attack them.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">But skeptics question whether the assistance would further Taiwan\u2019s defensive capabilities in the near term.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">The proposed assistance comes at a fraught time. China has stepped up provocative military maneuvers in the waters and skies near Taiwan in the wake of an August visit to Taipei by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). It also recently concluded a momentous 20th Communist Party Congress, at which Xi secured an unprecedented third term as party general secretary and consolidated his iron grip on power.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">Beijing claims Taiwan as an inalienable part of its territory, and says \u201cpeaceful reunification\u201d is its goal. But at last month\u2019s party congress, Xi reiterated the vow to \u201cnever commit to abandoning the use of force\u201d toward that end, and said he was willing \u201cto take all necessary measures\u201d to do so.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p><span class=\"font--article-body font-copy hide-for-print ma-0 pb-md db italic interstitial\"><a data-qa=\"interstitial-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/world\/2022\/10\/23\/xi-jinping-leader-china-congress\/?itid=lk_interstitial_manual_29\">China\u2019s Communist Party hands Xi an endless rule for flexing power<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">U.S. military leaders have been warning for years of China\u2019s growing threat to the region. In March 2021, Adm. Philip S. Davidson, then the head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, noted during Senate testimony a string of concerning actions taken by China: a rapid and massive military buildup of ships, aircraft and long-range rockets; crackdowns in Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Tibet; border clashes with India; and militarization of islands in the disputed South China Sea.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">China has long said it wants to achieve great-power status by its centenary in 2049. \u201cTaiwan,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/news.usni.org\/2021\/03\/09\/davidson-china-could-try-to-take-control-of-taiwan-in-next-six-years\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Davidson said in March 2021<\/a>, \u201cis clearly one of their ambitions before then, and I think the threat is manifest during this decade, in fact, in the next six years.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">His remarks created a stir, with some observers interpreting them to mean China would invade by 2027.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">In an interview, Davidson said that while China could mount an attack, there are other ways Beijing could bring pressure to bear on Taiwan. \u201cThat could be a blockade, missile barrage, profound cyberattacks on Taiwan infrastructure,\u201d he said. \u201cI do think this is the decade of concern, and I\u2019m still concerned about the next six years.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">Sen. Sullivan, a colonel in the Marine Corps reserve, said a military takeover or blockade of Taiwan by China would result in \u201cenormous\u201d damage to the world economy,  particularly as it would affect the global supply chain for computer chips. Taiwan is the world\u2019s leading supplier of advanced chips that power artificial intelligence and supercomputers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">The Biden administration, which is seeking to \u201cresponsibly manage\u201d its relationship with Beijing, treads carefully when it comes to Taiwan. When Pelosi planned to travel to Taiwan in August, the Biden administration mounted an intense behind-the-scenes effort, arguing that a visit by such a senior U.S. official so close to the party congress would be seen as provocative and an affront to Beijing. Still, when Xi himself asked Biden to find a way to dissuade her, Biden said he could not oblige, as Congress is an independent branch of government.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">Shortly after Pelosi\u2019s visit, Beijing imposed some trade sanctions on Taiwan and stepped up military drills in the waters surrounding the island. It simulated a blockade and sent jets repeatedly across the \u201ccenter line,\u201d an unofficial barrier in the strait dividing Taiwan and China that for decades was seen as a stabilizing feature \u2014 actions that in the view of analysts represent a change by Beijing in the status quo.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">Washington followed up by announcing the launch of talks on a formal trade agreement with Taiwan, and in September announced its intention to sell $1.1 billion in arms to Taipei. That package includes Harpoon anti-ship missiles and Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. Such sales, though, generally take several years to be delivered because of larger structural challenges arising out of how foreign military sales are completed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p><span class=\"font--article-body font-copy hide-for-print ma-0 pb-md db italic interstitial\"><a data-qa=\"interstitial-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/politics\/2022\/09\/18\/biden-taiwan-military-china-attack\/?itid=lk_interstitial_manual_43\">Biden says U.S. troops would defend Taiwan in event of attack by China<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">Some congressional aides say the use of foreign military financing would not speed up the weapons delivery. Others argue that with such a tool, the U.S. government will be able to more quickly negotiate transactions and make decisions about the direction of Taiwan\u2019s defense strategy and how it fits in with U.S. military capabilities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">The advantage to drawdown authority is speed \u2014 at least for weapons that are currently in U.S. stockpiles, including shoulder-fired antitank Stingers and anti-ship cruise missiles, said one aide.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">A key difference with Ukraine is that Taiwan, being an island, would be harder to resupply in a conflict and essentially can only fight with what it has on hand when a conflict starts. \u201cSo surging and stockpiling as many critical munitions to Taiwan \u2014 and generally west of the international date line \u2014 is our best chance of preserving the peace and making Xi Jinping think twice,\u201d Gallagher said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">Still, the debate over whether to finance the military assistance package is unresolved.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">\u201cWe need to be clear we have broad support for any new initiative and what the trade-offs will be, especially at a time when senior Republicans are questioning whether we will sustain our support for Ukraine,\u201d said one Democratic lawmaker familiar with ongoing discussions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">Congress traditionally has been more hawkish in its support of Taiwan than presidential administrations. The military assistance was part of a larger bill, the Taiwan Policy Act, that included several symbolic provisions that the Biden team found objectionable and that angered Beijing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">That bill, co-sponsored by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and ranking Republican James E. Risch (Idaho), for instance called for designating Taiwan a \u201cmajor non-NATO ally\u201d for the purpose of expediting arms sales and renaming Taiwan\u2019s de facto embassy in Washington from the \u201cTaipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office\u201d to the more official-sounding \u201cTaiwan Representative Office.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">The White House lobbied hard to get those provisions removed or watered down, but, congressional aides said, it provided guidance on the military assistance portion.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">\u201cThere are elements of that legislation, with respect to how we can strengthen our security assistance to Taiwan, that are quite effective and robust, that will improve Taiwan\u2019s security,\u201d Jake Sullivan told financier David Rubenstein on the Bloomberg show in September. \u201cThere are other elements that give us some concern.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">Both parties in Congress have closed ranks on the package amid Beijing\u2019s aggressive military maneuvers. \u201cWe are on the final stages of negotiations,\u201d Menendez said. \u201cBut authorizing billions alone in military assistance will not be enough. Both Washington and Taipei will need to continue to take steps to ensure that the right capabilities are delivered in a timely fashion.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">The leaders of both chambers voiced confidence the measures would pass. \u201cThe Democratic House is committed to helping Taiwan defend itself in the face of aggression from the [People\u2019s Republic of China],\u201d said a Pelosi spokeswoman, Shana Mansbach.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">\u201cThis legislation will strengthen military cooperation with Taiwan and show that the United States will not stand by as President Xi seeks to isolate and coerce Taiwan,\u201d Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">Taiwan\u2019s Defense Ministry said it was grateful for Congress\u2019s efforts to enhance the island\u2019s defenses. Taiwan has committed to military reform in response to China\u2019s aggression, including proposing a record rise in its defense budget for 2023. \u201cIt is our responsibility to ensure national security, and only after we can depend upon ourselves can we expect help from others,\u201d ministry spokesman Sun Li-fang said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">Davidson, who retired last year, said that besides continuing to help arm and train Taiwan, the United States needs to strengthen diplomatic, economic and military capabilities in the region. \u201cOur conventional deterrent is eroding,\u201d he said. \u201cThe main reason is the staggering growth in China\u2019s air and maritime forces, its rocket forces, its nuclear program, and the development of weapons like hypersonic missiles.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\">\u201cIf Xi can draw back the curtain and see what the United States looks like out in the region, economically, diplomatically and militarily,\u201d and sees U.S. engagement and a potent military, said Davidson, \u201che\u2019ll have to say, \u2018I don\u2019t want to mess with that,\u2019 and close the curtain. That\u2019s what winning looks like.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css font-copy\"><i>Christian Shepherd and Vic Chiang in Taipei contributed to this report.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mindful of lessons learned from Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine, Congress is pushing to arm and train Taiwan in advance of any potential military attack by<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1739165,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[547],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1739162","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-bongino-report"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1739162","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1739162"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1739162\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1739165"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1739162"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1739162"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1739162"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}