TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — US Senator Pete Ricketts commented on Wednesday that Taiwan's war preparations have taken a positive turn through the establishment of a reliable reserve force.
Ricketts, who chairs the US Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy, echoed sentiments by US Indo-Pacific Command Admiral Samuel Paparo, warning that Chinese military exercises around Taiwan are not drills but "rehearsals" for a potential invasion. Ricketts said that Taiwan is taking serious measures to resist Chinese aggression and coercion, per CNA.
Ricketts led a bipartisan group of senators to Taiwan in April. He met with President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) and Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴), as well as the defense minister and other military officials.
Ricketts described Taiwan’s attitude toward war preparations as taking a “180-degree change” this year. He said Taiwan is taking proactive steps by building a reserve force and purchasing equipment such as rifles, bulletproof vests, helmets, and night vision goggles.
Ricketts repeated that Chinese leader Xi Jinping (習近平) has instructed his military to have the capability to attack Taiwan by 2027. Ricketts said that with Taiwan's establishment of a reserve force, Xi must rethink or delay the use of force.
Ricketts said this is why his group launched the Porcupine Act to accelerate arms sales to Taiwan in line with NATO allies. He said the bill would simplify the arms sales process to Taiwan, which is subject to the US Arms Export Control Act, to shorten the time to formally notify Congress of arms sales and raise the threshold for the amount. The senator said the US must start delivering on its US$21 billion (NT$700 billion) in arms sales that it owes to Taiwan.
In May, Atlantic Council Vice President Matthew Kroenig also visited Taiwan. He talked about his visit in a Foreign Policy article, "Taiwan Is Getting Serious About Self-Defense.” He pointed out that Vice President Hsiao has helped Taiwan build an office modeled after the US Defense Department’s Defense Innovation Unit.
