US Congress advisory committee calls to bolster Taiwan’s defence amid Chinese threat

The United States Congress Advisory Committee has pitched for additional multi-year defence funding along with other mechanisms with an aim to bolster Taiwan’s security and defence capabilities against possible aggression by China, amid the rising tensions in the Taiwan Strait region. The development comes following an order to the Chinese military by China’s President Xi Jinping to train and prepare for a “real war scenario”.  

Included in the suggestions by the US Congress Advisory Committee is the notion of the establishment of an executive branch panel to prepare for economic sanctions against China in response to a possible Chinese invasion of the self-governed island nation of Taiwan. Notably, tensions between China and Taiwan escalated in August this year after the US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan despite numerous threats and warnings by China against the visit. China considers Taiwan a part of its territory and has stated its intent to reunify the island with the mainland.  

US-China Economic & Security Review Report

The US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC) in its annual report said that the aforementioned measures would be necessary to deter any Chinese offensive against Taiwan. The USCC annual report recommendations call for the formation of a joint planning mechanism and increasing Taiwan’s defence spending to ensure that Taipei is armed best of its ability.  

Moreover, the USCC report alleges that China intends to isolate the island nation from the rest of the world through diplomatic, military and economic coercion. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) reportedly intends to overtake governance in Taiwan through any means possible. 

A Geo-Politik report suggests that Beijing is studying and taking lessons from the Russia-Ukraine war to achieve its set goal for the unification of Taiwan with mainland China. Meanwhile, the USCC report cited “Russia’s war against Ukraine has galvanized the international community and heightened concerns over a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan.”  

The report includes China’s increasing military capabilities, more aggressive manoeuvres toward Taiwan and the need for an expedited response by the United States.   

Raising the threat perception levels, the report has stated that the possibility of war between Taiwan and China has become more likely after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In recent years, China has actively threatened military action against Taiwan on several occasions, the report stated.   

The report also states, “In 2022, China adopted a significantly more aggressive stance toward Taiwan, ramping up displays of military force in addition to diplomatic and economic coercion.” Furthermore, it has maintained that the United States will need to ramp up its readiness for military conflict in the Indo-Pacific region and strengthen its Armed Forces and its allies in the region.