Meeting President Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan on Wednesday, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) rightly pledged continued American support for Taiwan. Unfortunately, McCarthy missed an important opportunity to push Tsai on the need for much-increased defense spending.
China's fury over this meeting be damned, McCarthy made a good move hosting Tsai at the Ronald Reagan presidential library. The leader of a nation facing annihilation, at least in terms of its national democracy, Tsai has shown political courage in staring down escalating threats from Beijing. But while Republicans in Congress are rightly pushing for increases in military aid to Taiwan, McCarthy should have complemented his public praise for Tsai with some tougher rhetoric.
To defeat a prospective PLA landing force before it could establish beachhead strongholds, the likely key to victory in any war, Taiwan needs massive improvements to its reserve force readiness and major boosts to its anti-ship and anti-air capabilities. That's the very minimum requirement. The urgency of these strengthened defenses is hard to overestimate. Indeed, deterrence of a Chinese attack is probably not even possible anymore.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
China steps up incursions near Taiwan prior to Tsai-McCarthy meetingChinese military forces increased aerial and warship activity near Taiwan on Tuesday, one day before House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is set to meet the island’s president in California, according to Taiwan defense authorities.
Read more »
McCarthy-Tsai meeting highlights the importance of the US-Taiwan partnership amid China threatHouse Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen will meet Wednesday in California amid ongoing tensions with the People's Republic of China.
Read more »
McCarthy meets Taiwan President Tsai despite China's threatsKevin McCarthy met with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen today in California despite warnings from Beijing that the meeting would provoke 'severe confrontation' with the U.S.
Read more »
China blasts meeting between Taiwan's Tsai and US' McCarthyBeijing condemns meeting in California between Taiwan's top official Tsai Ing-wen and US House speaker Kevin McCarthy as 'acts of collusion' and vows to take 'resolute' measures to defend its sovereignty.
Read more »
Taiwan’s Tsai invokes Reagan at high-stakes meeting with McCarthyTaiwan’s president invoked the Cold War era legacy of former President Reagan during her highly anticipated meeting with Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California on Wednesday, warning that “democracy is under threat” and underscoring the need to keep “the beacon of freedom shining.”
Read more »
US House Leader Kevin McCarthy Welcomes Taiwan President in California as China ProtestsHouse Speaker Kevin McCarthy welcomed Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen for a historic meeting on U.S. soil Wednesday, in a politically sensitive session underscoring U.S. lawmakers' growing support for her self-ruled island as tensions rise with rival China.
Read more »