U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Affairs Ritner said that he does not believe that China will rashly invade Taiwan in 2027. The U.S. will actively improve its own capabilities, update its military deployment, strengthen regional deterrence, and make Beijing leaders pay a high price for aggression against Taiwan.

The picture shows the Chinese People's Liberation Army launched an exercise near Pingtan, Fujian Province on August 4.

(AFP)

[Central News Agency] U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Affairs Ritner said today that he does not think China will rashly invade Taiwan in 2027, but the U.S. will actively improve its own capabilities, update its military deployment, and strengthen regional deterrence so that Beijing leaders can defend themselves against aggression. Taiwan paid a high price.

Ely Ratner and Michael Chase, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the US Department of Defense for China Affairs, attended the event of the Washington think tank "American Enterprise Institute" (AEI) today to talk about the latest annual report released by the US Department of Defense on November 29. "China's Military Power Report".

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Since the outbreak of the Russo-Ukraine War, the timetable for China’s possible invasion of Taiwan has become one of the hot topics in Washington. The most frequently mentioned time points include 2027, 2035 and 2049; Beijing is no longer willing to accept the status quo and wants to significantly speed up the unification timetable.

In this regard, Retner said that although there is a consensus within the ministry that there is an urgency to maintain and strengthen regional deterrence, if Chinese President Xi Jinping is asked whether he will act desperately in 2027, "our answer is no."

Chase pointed out that the United States regards 2027, 2035, and 2049 as milestones in the development of the CCP’s military power. The modernization of the army, in 2049, is to achieve the milestone of national rejuvenation and make the PLA a "world-class army."

Chase agrees with what the host said, the above-mentioned schedule focuses on the development of military power, and does not represent the intention of invading Taiwan.

Although he does not believe that Beijing will invade Taiwan in the short term, Ritner emphasized that the United States is still committed to strengthening regional deterrence.

He quoted former U.S. Indo-Pacific commander Philip Davidson as saying that the U.S. must ensure that when Beijing examines the Taiwan issue, it will conclude that "today is not the day."

Ritner said that this year's report on China's military power pointed out that Xi Jinping and the People's Liberation Army are working hard to develop military power to make it easier to seize Taiwan or launch military aggression, but the US goal is to ensure that China can never easily and quickly seize Taiwan, or without paying. Complete the mission at any cost.

The U.S. House of Representatives today passed the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (FY23 NDAA), authorizing the provision of US$10 billion (approximately NT$309.6 billion) in military aid to Taiwan over the next five years.

Retner said that the Taiwan-related provisions of the bill are very important, symbolizing the willingness of the two parties to cooperate, and he will ensure that subsequent funding bills can be followed up.

Chase pointed out that Taiwan has strong cross-party support in the United States, spanning all previous U.S. governments, and it is expected to continue in the future.

"This sends a clear message to Beijing that the more they engage in acts of intimidation and coercion, the more urgent it will be to assist Taiwan as much as possible to help Taiwan complete its military transformation, strengthen its deterrence and military capabilities, and enhance its own resilience," Chase said. "

When House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in August, China launched a series of retaliatory measures, including holding large-scale military exercises around Taiwan and launching missiles.

If the next speaker of the House of Representatives wants to visit Taiwan, will the Ministry of Defense object?

Ritner said that the Biden (Joe Biden) administration has repeatedly indicated to Beijing that the U.S. legislative and executive branches are on an equal footing, which is a decision for members of Congress and Taiwan, but will advise them to evaluate whether it is worthwhile.