April 08, 2015
Forget F-16s for Taiwan: It's All About A2/AD
The time has come for the United States to consider ending the sale of upgrades for F-16 fighter aircraft to Taiwan and instead shift military sales and cooperation to emphasize anti-access capabilities and concepts of operation.
U.S. policy toward Taiwan has always been a delicate dance. The United States supports a “one China” policy and it maintains a strategic relationship with Beijing, but Washington is legislatively required to support Taiwan’s “sufficient self-defense capabilities” thanks to the Taiwan Relations Act. A certain amount of diplomatic savvy is required to simultaneously pursue such seemingly contradictory policies.
Against this backdrop, decisions relating to F-16 sales have become a leading indicator of U.S. intentions vis-à-vis Beijing and Taipei. If the United States sells new F-16s to Taiwan, Beijing may perceive it as a threat to the Sino-U.S. strategic relationship and the PRC’s position in the region. If the United States refuses to arm Taiwan at all, it would not only be found in violation of the Taiwan Relations Act, but Taiwan would then be forced to make the grand strategic assumption that it no longer has U.S. support. The Obama administration has continued the delicate dance of its predecessors, offering an interim solution of not shipping F-16s to Taiwan but instead offering to help modernize Taiwan’s existing fleet.
Read the full article at The Diplomat.
More from CNAS
-
How the War on Iran Threatens the Global Economy
Commentary
This article was originally published in TIME. Around two weeks into the American and Israeli war with Iran, the economic, political, and military costs of the conflict for th...
By Becca Wasser
-
Congressional Testimony
Defense / Middle East Security
Iran War Could Hinge On Who Runs Low On Munitions FirstIn just days of attacks, the US has used weapons stores that could take years to rebuild. On today’s Big Take podcast, Sarah Holder sits down with global defense editor Gerry ...
By Becca Wasser
-
Commentary
Defense / Middle East Security
Iran’s Cheap, Plentiful Weaponry Puts U.S. Military Under Unprecedented StrainThis article was originally published in Bloomberg. When the first cruise missiles began detonating inside Iran, the strikes had all the hallmarks of previous successful U.S. ...
By Becca Wasser
-
Video
Defense / Middle East Security
Trump Threatens Iran over Strait of HormuzCenter for a New American Security program director Stacie Pettyjohn joined BBC News to discuss the war in Iran, Iranian attempts to mine the Strait of Hormuz, and the challen...
By Stacie Pettyjohn
