Assistant Secretary of War Nominee: Strongly Supports Taiwan's Military Spending at 10% of GDP, Some South Korean Capabilities Help Deter China
American Assistant Secretary for Asia-Pacific Security Affairs, John Noh, stated on Tuesday during a Senate confirmation hearing that he strongly supports President Trump's proposal that Taiwan's defense spending should account for 10% of its GDP.
Notably, John Noh also mentioned at Tuesday's hearing that many of South Korea's defense capabilities could help deter China, which is becoming increasingly aggressive. He emphasized that the United States' defense focus should be on addressing this Asian superpower's "most severe" military threat.
These remarks were made by John Noh in written responses to pre-submitted questions from the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services. He emphasized that South Korea and other U.S. allies need to "significantly" increase their defense spending and take on greater regional security responsibilities.
John Noh said, "Although the Republic of Korea should mainly focus on leading the U.S.-South Korea alliance in conventional deterrence against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, many capabilities can also help deter China." He added, "Capabilities such as long-range fires, integrated air and missile defense, space, and electronic warfare can have a significant impact on enhancing deterrence against both threats in the region."
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1845409923402951/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.