Taiwan seeks reassurance from US delegation on defense commitment amid Ukraine aid concerns

During a recent visit to Taiwan by a U.S. congressional delegation, senior Taiwanese officials raised questions regarding the stalled aid to Ukraine and its potential implications for U.S. commitments to defend Taiwan against potential Chinese aggression. The visit sparked discussions on the national security supplemental passed by the Senate, which includes $1.9 billion in U.S. funding to replenish arms bound for Taiwan. However, House Speaker Mike Johnson's intention to block the bill unless it incorporates provisions to tighten border security has raised uncertainties about the aid package.

Representative Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.), chair of the House Select Committee on China, expressed Taiwan's keen interest in the situation in Ukraine and concerns that the U.S. might withdraw its support for Ukraine. 

The issue of U.S. support for Ukraine was a recurring theme in meetings between the congressional delegation and senior Taiwanese officials, including President Tsai Ing-wen and President-elect Lai Ching-te. There was a sense of vigilance in Taiwan regarding the supplemental requests for Ukraine as they perceive Ukraine's resilience against Russian aggression as crucial in sending a message to the Chinese Communist Party.

Impact of the U.S.

The potential impact of the U.S. presidential election on traditional U.S. support for Taiwan also raised concerns among Taiwanese leaders. The congressional delegation sought to allay these fears by emphasizing the strong bipartisan congressional support for Taiwan, reassuring the Taiwanese hosts of unwavering U.S. commitment regardless of the election outcome.

The impasse in supplying weaponry to Ukraine due to congressional deadlock has not only frozen U.S. military aid to Kyiv but has also prompted warnings from the Pentagon about the dwindling ammunition and weapons for Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines. This has unsettled Taiwanese leadership, which heavily relies on U.S. arms to deter threats from Chinese leader Xi Jinping to forcefully "reunify" with Taiwan.

Taiwan is already grappling with delays in U.S. arms deliveries, with a backlog of $19 billion worth of weapons, including Harpoon anti-ship missiles and Stinger surface-to-air missiles, awaiting delivery due to supply chain issues. The congressional delegation acknowledged that resolving this backlog would require innovative solutions, such as potentially shifting the production of U.S. aerial and submersible drones to Taiwan to expedite their deployment to the Taiwanese military units.

During their visit, the congressional delegation also engaged in discussions regarding reports that the Starshield network, akin to Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet system, was denying service to Taiwan. These reports raised concerns as Ukraine's military heavily relies on Starlink in its efforts to fend off Russian forces. The delegation expressed their intent to verify these reports and engage in dialogue with Elon Musk and SpaceX leadership regarding the reported service denial.