International Analysis

How the U.S. Military Budget Could Deter China

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By TaiwanPlus

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The U.S. House of Representatives approved US$10 billion in military aid to Taiwan over five years as part of the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act to strengthen Taiwan’s defense capabilities. Taiwan Talks explores what is behind this support and the prospects of elevating Taiwan as one of the U.S.’ key bases in the Western Pacific. We also look at the latest developments in the U.S.-China competition. Will tensions rise after Joe Biden attended TSMC’s Arizona plant opening ceremony not long after he met with Xi Jinping in Bali? What implications does this have on Taiwan’s chip advantage? In this episode, Huang Kwei-bo, Associate Professor of Diplomacy at National Chengchi University, and Stephen Tan, Managing Director of the International Policy Advisory Group, both Taiwan-U.S.-China experts, discuss what this aid means for Taiwan and simmering Cross-Strait relations. We also hear from Ivan Kanapathy, Vice President of Beacon Global Strategies, formerly White House National Security Council Director for China, Taiwan, and Mongolia on the PLA’s expanding capabilities and how Taiwan can best deter against a Chinese invasion. Topics discussed: - How the US$10 billion NDAA funding to Taiwan in military aid could boost the island nation’s deterrence capabilities - Implications of the annual State Department US$2 billion in ""diplomatic and military aid"" for Taiwan over 5 years - How the free U.S. arms provided to Ukraine compare to that being offered to Taiwan - How Taiwan can work with regional U.S. Pacific allies from Japan, the Philippines, to Australia to build an effective deterrence against China - Whereabouts of the ongoing U.S.-China competition, post the Biden-Xi meeting in Bali and U.S. efforts to “friendshore” away from China with TSMC’s new Arizona plant - Has the risk of a Chinese military assault on Taiwan decreased? - Is the U.S. and its allies waking up to the “China challenge” and what has led countries as far away as France to be concerned about peace in the Taiwan Strait? - Implications on the Taiwanese technological advantage with TSMC’s new Arizona plant and the U.S.-led supply chain realignment - Will new TSMC U.S. plant erode Taiwan's silicon shield? - Impact of Chinese economic cohesion on U.S. Pacific allies - Impact of A4 Revolution on Taiwan-U.S.-China relations as domestic unrest rises under Xi’s third term