Taiwanese military experts on Tuesday expressed mixed views on the possibility of the United States establishing a “contingency stockpile” of munitions and other defense articles in Taiwan, a provision in the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) signed into law by U.S. President Joe Biden in December last year.
Under the 2023 NDAA, a contingency stockpile is to be established in Taiwan, granting it the same status as Thailand, South Korea, and the U.S.’ NATO and major non-NATO allies.
According to the NDAA, the U.S. Department of State and Department of Defense are authorized to propose up to US$100 million each fiscal year from 2023 through 2032 to maintain a stockpile of munitions and other defense articles in Taiwan, appropriation of which would be subject to a review by the U.S. Congress.
The issue was raised by Kuomintang (KMT) Legislator Johnny Chiang (???), who during an interpellation with Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng (???) at the Legislative Yuan asked whether the U.S. would move some of its war reserve stocks from other Asian countries to Taiwan.
Chiu confirmed that Taiwan and the U.S. were in talks over such a plan but said that no agreement had yet been reached.
Asked to comment on the possible establishment of a contingency stockpile in Taiwan, Su Tzu-yun (???), a research fellow at the Taiwan government-funded Institute for National Defense and Security Research, told CNA that contingency stockpiles are an essential part of the U.S. military’s operations aimed at responding to potential military conflicts.
The U.S. has contingency stockpiles in Europe, the Middle East and South Korea, which would allow U.S. forces to arrive at the scene of conflicts relatively lightly equipped, greatly reducing response times, Su said.
The U.S. military is familiar with the procedure of stocking weaponry in Taiwan, having stocked munitions at the Ching Chuan Kang Air Base in Taichung and the Tainan Air Base, which were used as depots for its bombing missions in the Vietnam War, he said.
If the U.S. were to again establish war reserve stocks in Taiwan, it would have to build or rent depots or fortify existing ones, Su said.
The U.S. would fulfill its commitment to militarily aid Taiwan if it stocked munitions there, regardless of whether it sends troops to the nation in the event of a war, he said.
If the proposed scenario comes true, it would elevate Taiwan’s status to a “quasi-diplomatic ally” of the U.S., he said.
Asked whether the creation of a contingency stockpile in Taiwan would cross Beijing’s “redline,” Su said that it is China that has been crossing Taiwan’s redline with its frequent warship and military aircraft incursions into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone and past the Taiwan Strait median line.
Furthermore, Taiwan has the right to engage in self-defense under international law, Su said, noting that “if we don’t help ourselves, no one will.”
Meanwhile, Chieh Chung (??), an associate research fellow with the KMT think tank National Policy Foundation, told CNA that if Chiu had not been authorized to speak about the proposed creation on a contingency stockpile in Taiwan, his confirmation that there is such a plan at the Legislative Yuan could cause trouble for the U.S.
It is premature to talk about a U.S. contingency stockpile in Taiwan, because the relevant U.S. agencies have not proposed an appropriation bill for such a proposal, Chieh said.
The U.S. executive branch is likely to adopt a reserved stance on the proposal out of concern that it could negatively affect U.S-China relations, since Beijing is bound to view the move as “crossing its redline,” he said.
In addition, it would take time to select suitable sites to establish the stockpile, build depots and transport defense articles, and any downturn in the regional situation could prompt the U.S. to halt such a plan, he said.
Okinawa, where the U.S. already has a military base, is a more suitable location for maintaining a contingency stockpile to be used by Taiwan without escalating tensions, given the proximity between the two locations, he said.
“Rather than talk about a contingency stockpile, we should urge the U.S. to clear its backlog of munitions and launching platforms from its arms sales to Taiwan as soon as possible,” he said.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel