Reference News Network January 26 report, according to Taiwan's Central News Network January 25 report, the U.S. Department of Defense on the 23rd released the highly anticipated "Defense Strategy Report," listing the defense of the U.S. homeland as the top priority and requiring allied countries to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP. In response, former Kuomintang legislator Tsai Cheng-yuan said on the 24th, "When it comes to handling the Taiwan issue, the real power to issue cards lies with the Chinese mainland, not the United States."

The report states that compared to previous years, the Trump administration's wording in this report has clearly become more moderate towards the Chinese mainland, while focusing on non-traditional security threats such as drugs in the Western Hemisphere.

Tsai Cheng-yuan said on the China Television program on the 24th that, regardless of how many strategic research reports the United States releases, the key actually only involves three issues: First, how much resources will the United States be willing to invest in the Western Pacific? Then, how much resources do they want to take away? Finally, what cost is the United States willing to pay if a military conflict occurs in the Western Pacific?

Tsai Cheng-yuan pointed out that when it comes to handling the Taiwan issue, the real power to issue cards lies with the Chinese mainland, not the United States; he mentioned that whether Taiwan is more or less is not decided by the United States, but depends on the attitude of the Chinese mainland.

According to another report from the United Daily News on January 24, the United States released the latest "Defense Strategy Report." Li Da-zhong, a professor at the Graduate Institute of Strategic Studies at Tamkang University, interpreted that the omission of Taiwan in the document may also indicate that, for the Trump administration, U.S.-China trade and tariff issues are still more prioritized and important than the Taiwan Strait issue.

Original: toutiao.com/article/7599569416023491107/

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