Taiwan military forces and US support asymmetric strategy

Relations between Taiwan and the United States have been the subject of debate in recent years. But a new problem has arisen as part of this approach, which is helping the US giant island to maintain its position in a warmer region like the Indo-Pacific with China’s steady presence.

To this end, the US Congress passed a $95 billion defense bill with $4 billion in potential aid to Taiwan. Faced with this move, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also visited Singapore. For the Shangri-La Dialogue, a security forum, he will meet his adversary in China, which recently hosted major military exercises from Taiwan. To further expedite the process of sending aid, Undersecretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks created the Senior Coordination Group for Taiwan in 2022, which recently coordinated support for Taiwan.

The main logistical challenge is that Taiwan, with its limited military capabilities, can absorb only a limited amount, estimated at $500 million a year. Strategically, the U.S. has pushed for an asymmetric approach focused on denying Chinese invasion, munitions, drones and training large platforms such as aircraft and tanks, although this is generating resistance in Taiwan.

In addition, since Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan in 2022, US-China relations have deteriorated, and although they have improved slightly since the Biden-Ji Jinping summit, they remain fragile, complicating efforts to balance Taiwan’s security and maintain regional stability.

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