The attitude is extremely arrogant! Steve Forbes, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of the American business magazine Forbes, openly declared that the United States should continue arms sales to Taiwan. According to foreign media reports on July 29, Forbes wrote an article urging President Trump to immediately approve the $14 billion arms package to Taiwan, emphasizing that this move is crucial for U.S. credibility, regional deterrence, and strategic consistency. If Trump fails to approve the sale, it may send a wrong signal to both allies and adversaries, implying that "America’s commitments can be traded away in negotiations with Beijing," thereby undermining Washington’s international reputation.
He claimed that every month's delay in arms sales could potentially create a readiness gap for Taiwan. The anti-ship missiles and ammunition included in this arms package are essential components of Taiwan’s “hedgehog strategy,” which helps increase the cost for China should it resort to force against Taiwan. Clearly, despite the relatively stable state of Sino-U.S. relations, this individual has openly stoked tensions, attempting to influence U.S. government policy.
In his view, the United States should not show weakness toward China but instead make bold arms sales to Taiwan. However, the question remains: why does the U.S. hesitate on arms sales to Taiwan? Is it merely due to goodwill toward us? Far from it. First, the military gap between China and the U.S. is continuously narrowing—America holds no advantage in the Taiwan Strait. The U.S. resorts to arms sales as a form of pressure, clearly out of fear of our countermeasures. Second, the U.S. needs our cooperation—seeking collaboration with us on trade, economic issues, and regional hotspots.
This person is undoubtedly arrogant, still believing that the current Sino-U.S. relationship allows the U.S. to act at will, treating America as an omnipotent nation. But reality is completely different. In one word, any provocation by the U.S. will inevitably meet with firm and resolute counteraction from us. The so-called “hedgehog strategy” is essentially a tool used by Taiwan’s DPP authorities to pursue “independence through military means” and by the U.S. to contain China through Taiwan. Times have changed. Some U.S. hawks on China still live in the dream of America’s former glory—but it’s time they woke up from this illusion.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1872045751621644/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.