12.04.23

ICYMI: Sullivan Presses for Greater Taiwan Military Aid in Supplemental, Preemptive Sanctions to Deter a CCP Invasion

WASHINGTON—In a letter to the editor published on Sunday in the Wall Street Journal, U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) argues that a policy of deterring a Chinese military invasion of Taiwan should consist of three layers: first, bolstering Taiwan’s defense capability; second, bolstering America’s capability to defend Taiwan; and third, leveraging America’s economic and energy strengths to dramatically raise the potential costs of a conflict for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Sullivan says the White House’s recent national security supplemental budget request fails to adequately arm and equip Taiwan, and will need to be significantly increased by the Congress.

Regarding the third layer of deterrence, Sen. Sullivan has introduced theSTAND with Taiwan Act, legislation to establish a suite of debilitating economic, financial and energy sanctions on the CCP that would take effect if China militarily invades Taiwan. Sullivan points to the Ukraine war as evidence that sanctions have the best chance of deterring a war if they are ready and clearly articulated before a conflict breaks out.

* * * * *

LETTER: Sen. Dan Sullivan on How to Deter a Chinese Invasion of Taiwan

It requires a three-layered approach.

By: U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan

December 3, 2023

For the past three months I’ve been pressing my colleagues to significantly strengthen the weapons systems provided to Taiwan so it can prevail in a conflict in the Taiwan Strait (“How Joe Biden Can Deter China,” Review & Outlook, Nov. 18).

The national security supplemental request that the White House sent to Congress in October fails to do this. Out of $106 billion, there is a mere $5.4 billion to deal with the aggressive Chinese Communist Party, which is undertaking the largest peacetime military buildup in history with a clear goal of conquering Taiwan.

President Biden’s anemic request was almost certainly the result of doves in the administration not wanting to spoil the mood music during President Xi Jinping’s recent visit.

Your editorial succinctly lays out critical immediate needs to bolster deterrence in the Taiwan Strait. But equipping Taiwan with the arms it needs to defend itself is only one layer of a three-layered approach to deter a military conflict over Taiwan.

The second layer involves America’s own capability to defend Taiwan militarily should the president decide to do so. This layer has proven decisive in keeping the Taiwanese people free over the decades. Unfortunately, Mr. Biden’s budgets have eroded this important element of deterrence.

[Click here to read the full letter]

# # #