TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The chairman of the U.S. House Intelligence Committee on Wednesday (Nov. 3) urged Washington to be less ambiguous with respect to its commitment to defend Taiwan from a Chinese attack.

Speaking at the Aspen Security Forum, Representative Adam Schiff said, “I think probably less ambiguity is better than more ambiguity,” in reference to Washington’s decades-long policy of strategic ambiguity on the possibility of U.S. military intervention in the event of an attempted Chinese invasion of Taiwan, according to Reuters.

“We need to be much clearer about our obligation to defend Taiwan,” Schiff added. The U.S. needs to work with global partners “to make it abundantly clear to China what a significant cost it would pay were it to use force to try to invade and take over Taiwan,” Reuters cited him as saying.

Pointing to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and occupation of Crimea, he said that without better international deterrence, Beijing and Moscow will both feel emboldened to use military force to achieve geopolitical goals.

According to Schiff, China needs to understand that the economic consequences from Washington and its allies in the event of a Taiwan invasion would be grave. He added, “That, I think, may be the most effective deterrent.”

The House Intelligence Committee chairman said there was “a fine line to walk in when we talk about coming to Taiwan’s military aid.” Schiff added, “We don’t want to make any pronouncement that will accelerate Chinese thinking or timetable in terms of using military force against Taiwan.”

Schiff’s remarks come amid heightened Chinese military activity in the Taiwan Strait directed at Taiwan, in addition to increased military coordination from the U.S. and allies in the region.