US 'shows anxiety' in countering China with Taiwan provision listed in defense budget bill
Global TimesDec 08, 2023
The Facts
The Pentagon announced on Friday that the US State Department has approved a $300M foreign military sale to Taiwan, which is expected to take effect in one month pending Congress authorization.
The 12th arms sale under the Biden administration to the self-ruling island will transfer follow-on life cycle support and related equipment to help maintain the effectiveness of Taiwan's Command, Control, Communications, and Computers (C4) capabilities and enhance its operational readiness.
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
The US must realize that, on top of the low cost-effectiveness of using the island of Taiwan as its pawn against the Chinese mainland, deepening military ties with Taiwanese secessionists can only aggravate tensions across the Straits. Given that Beijing will never abstain from safeguarding its national sovereignty and territorial integrity, America should support peaceful reunification.
Pro-establishment narrative
Washington has sought to find a diplomatic route to ease tensions with Beijing in the Pacific Ocean, notably in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, but to no avail, so hard power is needed to prevent an attack on Taiwan. Though some may claim that ramping up military support for Taiwan could be a risky provocation, facts say otherwise, as the PRC has long exploited US hesitance to pressure the island.
Nerd narrative
There's a 42% chance that China will engage in a full-scale blockade against Taiwan before 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.