[Washington = Ryo Nakamura]US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Patel said at a press conference on the 19th, “The US is considering all options to carry out the handover of defense forces to Taiwan as soon as possible.” rice field. China is increasing military pressure on Taiwan, and the Biden administration is rushing to strengthen deterrence.
Nihon Keizai Shimbun (electronic version) reported on the 19th that the Biden administration is considering joint production of US-made weapons with Taiwan in order to accelerate the provision of weapons to Taiwan, citing three people involved. .
Mr. Patel said he would not make any specific comments on the reports, but asserted that the prompt provision of weapons was “essential to Taiwan’s security.” He emphasized his stance of taking concrete steps to make it happen.
A spokesman for the National Security Council (NSC) also avoided mentioning the joint production plan, saying, “The United States will continue to implement measures necessary for Taiwan to maintain sufficient self-defense capabilities while maintaining compliance with the Taiwan Relations Act. We will provide weapons and services,” he said.
The United States has expanded arms sales to Taiwan since the time of the Trump administration, but it will take time to hand them over. The U.S. military has analyzed that China may have the ability to invade Taiwan by 2027, and there are many voices saying that the delivery of weapons to Taiwan needs to be brought forward.
At the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China, declared on the 16th that the unification of China and Taiwan “must be realized and can be realized.” He stressed that he would “never promise to renounce the use of force.”
