U.S. says Taiwan military budget boost insufficient for 'resilient defense'

By David Brunnstrom
WASHINGTON, Oct 6 (Reuters) - A senior U.S. defence official
said on Tuesday Taiwan's plan to boost defense spending by $1.4
billion was a step in the right direction, but insufficient to
ensure resilient defense in the face of an increasing Chinese
threat.
In August, the Taiwanese cabinet proposed T$453.4 billion
($15.24 billion) in military spending for coming year, versus
T$411.3 billion ($13.99 billion) budgeted for this year, a rise
of more than 10 percent. The move comes as China has significantly stepped up
military activity near Taiwan, which it regards as a breakaway
province, raising fears it might one day attempt to retake the
island by force.
David Helvey, the acting U.S. assistant secretary of defense
for East Asia, told an online defense industry conference hosted
by the U.S.-Taiwan Business Council that actions of China's
People's Liberation Army were a test for Taiwan's "ability and
preparedness to respond to coercion."
"While the PLA's actions are real and dangerous, the PLA is
not unbeatable," he said. "Taiwan can, through smart
investments, send a clear signal to Beijing that Taiwan's
society and its armed forces are absolutely committed to the
defense of Taiwan."
Referring to the proposed defense budget, he added:
"These increases, while a step in the right direction,
however, are insufficient to ensure that Taiwan can leverage its
geography, advanced technology, workforce and patriotic
population to channel Taiwan's inherent advantages necessary for
a resilient defense."
Helvey said Taiwan must continue to seek a balance in
defense investment between indigenous development and foreign
purchases, while avoiding over-investment in areas that did not
provide a good return for limited resources.
He said United States encouraged Taiwan to invest in "large
numbers of small capabilities" that would signal that "an
invasion or attack would not come without significant cost."
These include acquiring as many coastal defense cruise
missiles as possible and other capabilities to help defend
coastal areas and beaches, including short-range air defense,
naval mines, fast-attack craft, mobile artillery and advanced
surveillance assets.
Helvey also said Taiwan needed to strengthen its reserve
forces, and their training "should demonstrate to the people ...
how small, but manageable actions can support Taiwan's defense."
As fears have grown about China's intentions, so have
concerns in military circles in the United States and elsewhere
about Taiwan's military preparedness, as well as the willingness
of its people to stand up to any Chinese attack.
The United States is required by law to provide Taiwan with
the means to defend itself but has maintained a policy of
"strategic ambiguity" when it comes to the question of whether
it would intervene militarily in the event of a Chinese attack.
Last month, sources told Reuters the United States plans to
sell as many as seven major weapons systems, including mines,
cruise missiles and drones to Taiwan.