In a bid to forestall potential military confrontation with China regarding Taiwan and the South China Sea, President Donald Trump intends to significantly bolster the military capabilities of the United States and its allies. This comprehensive plan for navigating one of the world's most precarious diplomatic flashpoints is detailed in a 29-page National Security Strategy. Although dated in November, the official document was only recently made accessible to the public online. It explicitly identifies the prevention of hostilities over Taiwan as a top priority, stating that the preferred method for achieving this stability is by maintaining a clear and decisive "military overmatch."
The geopolitical stakes are high, as Beijing continues to claim sovereignty over democratically governed Taiwan and has never ruled out the potential use of force to unify the island with the mainland. China also maintains expansive territorial claims encompassing nearly the entirety of the South China Sea, which are vigorously contested by its smaller neighbors. While the United States does not maintain formal diplomatic relations with Taipei, Washington remains the island's most significant global supporter and is legally obligated to supply Taiwan with the resources for self-defense. The strategy paper highlights that instability here is a critical risk, citing Taiwan’s pivotal role in global semiconductor manufacturing and the massive volume of international commerce traversing the nearby waters.
Addressing these tensions, which have long been an irritant in Sino-American relations, President Trump has emphasized his desire to preserve a positive relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping while urging regional partners like Japan and South Korea to increase defense spending. The document asserts the goal of building a military "capable of denying aggression anywhere" along the Asian island chain, but firmly states that the U.S. cannot bear this burden alone. "Our allies must step up and spend—and more importantly do—much more for collective defense," the text reads. This collaboration aims to reinforce the capacity to "deny any attempt to seize Taiwan" or prevent actions that would make defending the island impossible.
Furthermore, the administration has pledged to stop any "potentially hostile power" from establishing toll systems or blockading critical sea lanes, noting that this will require robust naval capabilities. The document includes a foreword signed by President Trump, describing the strategy as "a roadmap to ensure that America remains the greatest and most successful nation in human history."
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Source: REUTERS
