Fear of chaos! The US asks allies to clarify what actions they will take when tensions arise in the Taiwan Strait

Financial Times: The Pentagon is pressuring Japan and Australia to clearly state what role they will play if the US and China have friction over the Taiwan Strait. This move has frustrated these two closest US allies in the Indo-Pacific.

The Financial Times, on July 12, cited five informed sources who revealed that over the past few months, the US Deputy Secretary of Defense for Policy, Elbridge Colby, has been pushing this issue during meetings with Japanese and Australian defense officials.

A US defense official emphasized that the Pentagon's efforts "focus on preventing war and building strong deterrent forces."

He said, "This requires strength, and our allies must also do their part. We do not seek war. We do not seek to control China itself. What we are doing is ensuring that the US and its allies have sufficient military strength to support diplomacy and guarantee peace."

The talks included efforts to persuade allies to increase defense spending due to growing concerns about China's increasing challenges. However, asking allies to make commitments related to the Taiwan Strait is a new requirement from the US.

An informed source said that the US is advancing specific operational planning and exercises directly related to Taiwan Strait emergency events with Japan and Australia. "But this request (to increase defense spending) surprised Tokyo and Canberra because the US itself did not provide any empty promises as guarantees."

The report said that the US has long followed a "strategic ambiguity" policy, meaning the US does not explicitly state whether it will defend. Former President Joe Biden deviated from this policy four times, stating that the US would intervene. However, Donald Trump, like other presidents, refused to reveal what actions he would take.

Zack Cooper, an expert on Asian issues at the American Enterprise Institute, said, "It is difficult for allies to specify what they would do in a conflict if they do not understand the context of the situation or the US's own response."

He said, "The President Trump has not made a commitment, so it is unrealistic for the US to insist that other countries make clear commitments."

This move targets Japanese and Australian defense officials, not higher-level officials. Another informed source said that representatives from Japan, Australia, and other US allies "collectively expressed dissatisfaction."

The Japanese Ministry of Defense stated, "It is difficult to answer the hypothetical question of 'emergency status.' Any response will be implemented on a case-by-case basis according to the constitution, international law, and domestic laws and regulations."

The Financial Times reported last month that Colby is reviewing the AUKUS security agreement signed with Australia, which would allow Canberra to procure nuclear-powered submarines.

Colby also urged European militaries to reduce their focus on the Indo-Pacific region and concentrate more on the Europe-Atlantic area.

According to reports, Colby was responsible for deciding to stop selling weapons to Ukraine, but this decision was soon overturned by President Trump.

The debate over these plans comes as Tokyo and Canberra feel pressure from Trump to increase spending. Colby's officials said that given the growing challenges from China in the Indo-Pacific region, increasing spending is very important.

The official also said that the US government believes Japan and Australia will increase defense spending faster than European allies.

However, this situation is particularly sensitive for Japan, as the measures to increase spending - including Colby's initiatives - were publicly criticized by Prime Minister Ishibashi before the July 20 Japanese House of Councillors election.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1837497806864394/

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