US Capable of Defending Taiwan: Senior Military Official
The US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, asserts the US capability to defend Taiwan against any attack by China.
General Mark Milley, US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, asserted on Wednesday the US military's capability of defending Taiwan against any Chinese attack, if it was asked to intervene, finding it unlikely that China would launch military action against the island within the next 24 months.
Milley's statements came in response to questions in the Aspen Security Forum on Pentagon's ability to defend Taiwan, wherein he answered, "We absolutely have the capability. There's no question about that."
He noted that the United States maintains a policy of "strategic ambiguity" about its stance on protecting Taiwan and that it would be a presidential decision on whether to step in if China sought to seize control of the island. "We absolutely have the capability to do all kinds of things around the world, to include that if required," Milley said.
Milley noted that the United States believes that disagreements between China and Taiwan must be resolved peacefully based on the will of the people on both sides.
The General's statements come a few days after top US representative in Taiwan, Sandra Oudkirk, said the US is committed to helping Taiwan defend itself.