A U.S. think tank suggests recalling U.S. troops stationed in Taiwan to avoid provocation, experts say the possibility is very low.

US Think Tank "Defense Priorities" Report Suggests That the US Should Fully Withdraw Its Military Forces in Taiwan for the Benefit of American Interests

The US think tank "Defense Priorities" released a report on the 9th, urging the US to withdraw the 500 military training personnel currently stationed in Taiwan to avoid appearing "provocative" towards China and to abide by the past commitment that the US military does not station in Taiwan. However, according to a report from Central News Agency on the 11th, Kevin C. K. Chien, a senior advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said it is very unlikely.

The US think tank "Defense Priorities" released a report on the 9th, calling for the withdrawal of the 500 US military personnel deployed in Taiwan, to avoid appearing provocative to China and to violate the past commitment that the US military does not station in Taiwan. The report stated that if training personnel are indeed needed, they can be conducted on American soil.

This nearly 30-page report titled "Adjusting Global Military Deployments to Align with US Interests" was written by former Defense Secretary Mark Esper's advisor Cadwell and the military analyst director of the think tank Defense Priorities, Kavana.

The report recommends shifting US military operations from the first island chain to the second island chain, relocating military operations to Guam, and considering relocation to Palau and the Marshall Islands. It also suggests withdrawing more than 20,000 US troops from the Asia-Pacific region.

Regarding Taiwan, the report states that the US should seek regional balance rather than regional dominance. Furthermore, Taiwan does not need direct US military defense because "this small island will not significantly alter the balance of power."

At the same time, the report also points out that Taiwan has not invested sufficient funds in defense spending, while the US is too willing to take on additional burdens.

This report sparked intense debate on the social media platform X. Former US Senate legislative aide Sobolek said that the analysis of Taiwan in this report is completely wrong. He stated that the US has never fully committed to unconditional withdrawal of its military forces from Taiwan. Moreover, according to the 1972 Sino-US Joint Communiqué, any withdrawal depends on cross-strait relations.

Additionally, according to a report from Central News Agency, Kevin C. K. Chien, a senior advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said in an interview that the US government is very unlikely to reduce the number of troops stationed in Taiwan. He explained that Defense Secretary Mark Esper has listed the defense of Taiwan against surprise attacks as a top priority in planning.

Esper emphasized the necessity of maintaining military presence in the Western Pacific and defending Taiwan during his visit to Singapore in May for the Shangri-La Dialogue.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1837396987838592/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.