Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) appeared hesitant when asked if the U.S. should actively protect Taiwan from China.
This question arose during her participation in a discussion on foreign policy at the Munich Security Conference alongside Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and NATO Permanent Representative Matthew Whitaker.
Television anchor Francine Lacqua inquired, “Would and should the United States actually send troops to defend Taiwan if China takes action?”
“Well, you know, I think… I mean, this is, um… a long-standing policy of the United States,” Ocasio-Cortez responded. “What we really want to do is avoid that situation altogether.”
“And we want to ensure that our economic strategies and global positions help prevent such conflicts from arising,” she continued.
In response to the inquiry, Whitaker remarked, “It’s ultimately the president’s decision on military deployment.”
“What I’m saying is that we need to deter and defend, just as we do here in Europe,” he added. “I think one significant achievement of President Trump was getting NATO to commit to 5% of GDP on defense, which has now become the international benchmark.”
Earlier in January, reports indicated that Chinese leader Xi Jinping stated in a speech that China’s quest to control Taiwan is “unstoppable.”
“Taiwan is its own sovereign state and has never been governed by Beijing, nor does it have any connection to the Chinese Communist Party,” while China maintains that Taiwan is merely a “province” occupied by “separatists.”
Taiwan is indeed a sovereign nation without governance from any Beijing agency and lacks ties to the Chinese Communist Party. However, China’s claims about Taiwan being a “province” occupied by “separatist” groups stand in stark contrast to its reality and the nation’s legitimate government. Although China has not yet attempted a full-scale invasion, it frequently threatens military “reunification.” Meanwhile, the U.S. continues to authorize arms sales to Taiwan, despite not formally recognizing it as a country, and countries like Japan have suggested support for Taiwan if conflict arises.
Reports have noted that the Trump administration greenlit “$11 billion in arms sales to Taiwan” in December, which is considered one of the largest arms packages for the region.
