China urged not to be afraid of 'a strong Taiwan'

Addressing the 2009 U.S.-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference held in Virginia, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs Wallace Gregson said Washington believes that promoting a strong Taiwan will help ensure that Taiwan is able to make choices that benefit both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

Also, a strong Taiwan will be less susceptible to coercion or intimidation and better able to engage China with confidence, as well as being free to expand cross-strait economic, cultural and political ties without fear or reservation, Gregson said.

“And therefore, everyone in the region -- including the People's Republic of China -- should view a strong Taiwan not as a threat but as a stabilizing factor in cross-strait affairs, regional security and economic development,” Gregson said.

He noted that U.S.-Taiwan relations are based not only on Washington's one China policy, the Taiwan Relations Act and the three joint U.S.-China communiques, but also on deep and abiding friendship, shared security interests, deep economic ties and common democratic ideals and values.

“The Obama administration is firmly committed to supporting and executing these commitments,” he said.

He said the United States welcomes President Ma Ying-jeou's initiatives over the past year to reduce tension in the Taiwan Strait and encourages Taipei and Beijing to consider opening dialogue on military affairs “at the appropriate time and in a mutually agreed manner.”

According to Gregson, owing to China's rapid economic growth and military modernization, Taiwan will never again have the luxury of relying on quantitative advantages over China and must look to its qualitative advantages through focusing on “innovation and asymmetry.”

Taiwan must focus on building a talented and educated corps of junior officers and non commissioned officers when transitioning to an all-volunteer military force, because this is one of the most obvious areas upon which a focus on quality over quantity will pay dividends for Taiwan's defense capabilities, he said.

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