TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — An American general has vowed that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan would elicit a "more robust' response from the U.S. than the Russian invasion of Ukraine and said China's actions are pushing the U.S. into forming a "NATO of the Pacific."
On Monday (March 14), U.S. Air Force Association’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies hosted an online discussion with General Kenneth Wilsbach, commander of the U.S. Pacific Air Forces. During the talk, Wilsbach emphasized that there is a lack of interoperability between China and Russia and a competition over who will lead their alliance.
Wilsbach pointed out that there have been a few integrated bomber patrols involving Chinese and Russian bombers, command control aircraft, and tankers in the Pacific, but they were not extensive. Beyond a "couple of other exercises" that the two countries have engaged in, "I would not say they are interoperable in any way," he said.
The general took note of the power play between the two countries, with both thinking they "should be the lead." He asserted that in the future, this tension will be a "problem for them."
He stressed that while China and Russia lack interoperability, the U.S. and its allies and partners in the Pacific enjoy such an advantage. Wilsbach stated that U.S. forces routinely fly with their counterparts in South Korea, Japan, Australia, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, and Singapore, "and we’re interoperable… We’re flying a lot of the same equipment. We’re even data-linking together, in some cases, and the tactics are very similar.”
Wilsbach observed that since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, joint activity between Moscow and Beijing has diminished: "I do think (the Russians) are pretty well occupied."
He said he is not sure whether Chinese Chairman Xi Jinping (習近平) had been surprised or duped by the Russians regarding Ukraine. What is clear is that Beijing is taking "a pretty cautious approach right now, based on uncertainty of how this might turn out" and the international backlash against Russia.
The general expressed his hope that one of the "key lessons" China is taking away from the invasion is “the solidarity of the global community” in opposing the "unprovoked attack" and the severe sanctions that have been imposed on Russia.
Wilsbach warned that if China tries to make a similar move against Taiwan or another neighbor, "something more robust will happen." He predicted that such aggression would “provide solidarity for the nations to come together and oppose something like that."
When asked to respond to China's accusations that the U.S. is attempting to build a "NATO of the Pacific," he chuckled and said that it is China's own behavior that is prompting such discussions. Before embarking on military adventurism like Russia, the general advised China to consider ”some of the terrain they would have to contend with” in Taiwan and opposition by countries in the region.
He observed that Russia's war in Ukraine has already been very costly. "They’ve killed many of their own people as well as Ukrainians," he said, adding that he hopes China will "pay attention to that as well."
