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US, Taiwanese defense officials met in Alaska last week, official says
The talks aimed to sustain defense cooperation amid increased Chinese military activity, with Taiwan planning a 23% defense budget increase to over 3.3% of GDP, officials said.
- Last week, United States defense officials and Taiwanese defense officials held talks in Anchorage, Alaska, a U.S. official said, a move likely to anger China.
- The Financial Times reported the scaled-down encounter aimed to lower the talks' profile, occurring just days before Chinese President Xi Jinping's military parade, increasing timing sensitivity.
- The delegation included Jed Royal, Pentagon acting Indo-Pacific chief, and Hsu Szu-chien, Taiwan deputy national security adviser; both the Pentagon and Taiwan's government declined to comment on the secret meeting last week.
- The talks underscore the strategic need to keep senior-level channels with Taipei as Washington seeks to maintain contact amid China's growing military power, while Taipei recently proposed a 23% defence budget rise to more than 3.3% of GDP next year.
- Analysts say the Alaska meeting was a diplomatic compromise as U.S. officials feared a ministerial Washington meeting would provoke China, aiming to balance Taiwan reassurance with the potential summit and trade negotiations.
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Total News Sources9
Leaning Left2Leaning Right2Center5Last UpdatedBias Distribution56% Center
Bias Distribution
- 56% of the sources are Center
56% Center
L 22%
C 56%
R 22%
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