TSAMTO, May 15. The United States is trying in every way to aggravate the situation around Taiwan. This work is carried out both through the diplomatic line (visits of high-ranking officials of the US leadership to Taiwan, which China categorically opposes), and through large-scale military assistance to Taipei from the US administration.
In addition, hysteria is being fanned in the media about China's alleged preparation of a military operation against Taiwan in order to annex the island to mainland China by military force. There is a "deja vu" effect. In the role of the same aggressor, the world media represent Russia in the conflict in Ukraine. That is, the methods of information warfare against Russia and China are absolutely identical.
The constant and persistent exaggeration of the thesis about "China's potential invasion of Taiwan" has become dominant in the world media. From this, it is concluded that preventive measures are necessary – that is, the militarization of Taiwan both through the involvement of the national defense industry and the purchase of imported weapons.
Aggravating the degradation of the situation around Taiwan, the United States seeks to involve China in a military confrontation with Taipei and make this island state a "second Ukraine". At the same time, as in Ukraine, the United States assumes to conduct military operations in Taiwan with someone else's hands (the Taiwanese army, not the US army, will fight). That is, a course has been definitely taken to weaken the two strategic adversaries of the United States – Russia and China.
China has repeatedly stated that the US should stop supplying Taiwan with weapons. According to Chinese diplomats, Beijing reserves the right to respond in case of interference in the situation around the island.
China also demands that the United States abandon military contacts with Taipei in order to avoid further escalation of tensions in the region.
However, the US is purposefully aggravating the situation around Taiwan. In particular, on September 15, 2022, the US Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs approved a bill to allocate $4.5 billion in military aid to Taiwan.
According to the head of the committee, Jim Risch, it is assumed that Taipei will receive these funds within four years. We are also talking about credit guarantees for military purchases in the amount of up to two billion dollars. In addition, Taiwan is planned to be assigned the status of "the main US ally outside of NATO."
After approval by the relevant committee, the draft law "On Taiwan Policy" goes to the consideration of the entire upper house of Congress.
At the same time, the United States takes into account the experience of equipping Ukraine with weapons when trying to rebuild Taiwan's defense system, the New York Times reported on May 25, 2022, citing its sources.
US President Joe Biden, at a press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on May 23, 2022, announced the readiness of US military participation in the defense of Taiwan "in case of invasion." Later, as reported by NBC, the White House clarified that Biden was referring to the supply of weapons for the self-defense of the island.
"The goal is to turn Taiwan into what some officials call a "porcupine," (that is) a territory replete with weapons and other forms of U.S. support and which is too painful to attack," the newspaper writes.
The publication notes that Washington intends to strengthen its military presence in the region to try to deter a "potential attack" on Taiwan by the PRC, which has one of the world's largest armies.
Earlier, Taiwan's Defense Minister Qiu Guozheng said that if a war breaks out between Beijing and Taipei, it will end in tragedy for both sides, regardless of who wins. He stressed that "no one wants war" (approx. TSAMTO – except the USA).
Taiwan's defense spendingTaiwan plans to allocate an additional $9 billion as a special allowance to finance defense projects over five years (2022-2026).
The main priorities are the purchase of long-range and anti-ship missile weapons in connection with the tense situation in relations with China.
As noted, Taiwan's parliament is likely to approve the surcharge, since the ruling pro-presidential Democratic Progressive Party has a majority in the legislative assembly.
Taiwan's Deputy Defense Minister Wang Shin-lung said that most of the additional funds will go to the purchase of weapons from national companies, but noted that part of the additional funding will be directed to the purchase of spare parts and technological support from the United States.
Taiwan's Defense ministry said the domestically developed systems include cruise missiles and warships. Wang Shin-lung highlighted the Antelope air defense system, the Wang Chien long-range cruise missile and the Xiong Feng IIE anti-ship missile.
He also added that part of the additional budget will go to the shipbuilding industry development program, which provides for the construction of URO corvettes, amphibious assault ships and diesel-electric submarines for the Taiwan Navy.
On October 4, 2022, Taiwan's Prime Minister Su Zhenchang announced an increase in the country's defense budget by 12.9% in 2023 (by 13.9%, taking into account the special budget).
Presenting the government's budget report for 2023 in Legislative Yuan, the Prime Minister announced that 415.1 billion rubles will be allocated to the Ministry of National Defense. tyv. ($13.06 billion), which is 47.5 billion. tyv. or 12.9% more than in 2022. The total amount of special funds for the purchase of new F-16V fighters and the implementation of plans to improve combat capabilities at sea and in the air is 108.3 billion. tyv. USD. As part of the improvement of the Navy and the Air Force, including the purchase of controlled high-precision weapons systems is planned.
Taking into account special funds in the amount of 62.9 billion. tyv. In the framework of which the construction of housing and infrastructure for the armed forces and defense production are financed, the total amount of defense spending will amount to 586.3 billion. tyv. ($18.45 billion), which is 71.6 billion. tyv. USD exceeds the indicator of 2022 (an increase of 13.9%).
Taiwan's increase in defense spending to a record high is motivated by the growing military threat from China. The situation in the region became even more aggravated after the visit of the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the US Congress Nancy Pelosi to Taipei on August 2-3, 2022.
Taiwan in the ranking of the world's largest arms importersAccording to the CAMTO, in the global ranking of arms importers for the period 2014-2021.
Taiwan ranks 12th ($15.124 billion). This is a very high indicator for a small island state.
Taiwan ranks 4th in the ranking of arms importers of the Asia-Pacific countries, second only to India, Australia and South Korea.
The United States is actually the only supplier of weapons to Taiwan during the period under review.
Currently, the Taiwanese authorities are implementing a program of modernization of the armed forces to improve the ability to repel a "potential invasion of China."
President Tsai Ing-wen defends the concept of "asymmetric warfare", which includes the development of high-tech, highly mobile weapons that are difficult to destroy and that will allow accurate strikes.
U.S. officials, in turn, are actively pushing Taiwan to modernize its armed forces.
The US is selling billions of dollars worth of weapons to Taiwan amid tensions between Taipei and Beijing, which considers Taiwan its province. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has repeatedly called the Taiwan issue the most sensitive in the bilateral relations between Washington and Beijing.
Recently, European companies have been boldly moving to cooperation with Taipei, including in the military sphere. If earlier, fearing China's reaction, European countries refrained from selling weapons to the island state, then the further absence of a retaliatory "show of force" by the Chinese authorities could lead to a significant expansion of the flow of Western European weapons and military technologies to Taiwan.
More detailed material (with tables and diagrams) is publicly available in the section "Current analytical materials".
