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Taiwan invasion response would be different to Ukraine: Pentagon official

ROC Central News Agency

03/10/2022 12:47 PM

Washington, March 9 (CNA) The Pentagon's top official for Indo-Pacific affairs said Wednesday Washington's response to Chinese aggression would be different from that seen in Ukraine, underling the pressing need to bolster Taiwan's self-defense capabilities.

Ely Ratner, assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs at the Department of Defense, made the remarks in testimony at a House Armed Services Committee hearing on security in the Indo-Pacific region when asked about the impact of Russia's recent invasion of Ukraine.

"With the PRC [China] as the department's pacing challenge, Taiwan is the pacing scenario. And, we aim to deter and deny PRC aggression through a combination of Taiwan's own defenses, its partnership with the United States, and growing support from like-minded democracies," Ratner said.

Ratner added that the U.S. was committed to maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait per the Taiwan Relations Act, the Three Joint Communiques between Beijing and Washington, and the Six Assurances, a series of policy principles affirming U.S. support for Taipei.

Asked what the U.S.' response would look like if Taiwan was attacked by China in light of Russia's commencement of military operations in neighboring Ukraine, Ratner said "the lessons that I draw on, number one, are the importance of Taiwan developing its own [self-defense] capabilities."

When Rep. Scott DesJarlais asked directly if Washington's response would be "different" to that in Ukraine, Ratner replied "yes."

Meanwhile, John Aquilino, commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command, told the committee hearing that Russia's actions in Ukraine had been a "real wake-up call," adding that it underlined the importance of continuing to help Taiwan enhance its self-defense "in accordance with the Taiwan Relations act."

"That is something that we're doing at every opportunity," Aquilino added.

(By Chiang Chin-yeh and Ko Lin)

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