TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Former US Army Pacific commander Charles Flynn said Saturday that US arms sales to Taiwan have a decades-long history and will continue, stressing that China has no authority over such decisions.
Speaking to local media in Taipei before a security forum, Flynn said arms sales are strictly a matter between the US and Taiwan and are unrelated to any actions by China. He emphasized the long-standing relationship between Washington and Taipei, adding that Beijing has no say in US-Taiwan relations, particularly regarding military capabilities and equipment, per Liberty Times.
Flynn said China's military expansion over the past decade has been astonishing in both capability and modernization. He added that these developments have been accompanied by coordinated changes in troop training that began to converge between 2014 and 2016.
He described China's actions over the past two decades as gradual, insidious, and irresponsible, citing the use of coercion, legal warfare, and information warfare to shift the regional balance. Flynn warned that amid ongoing conflicts in Europe and the Middle East, another regional war in the Taiwan Strait could escalate into a global conflict.
Addressing claims that Taiwan should avoid provoking China or limit military investment, Flynn said bluntly, “Evil cannot be appeased. Evil has to be defeated.” He stressed that protecting the public, territorial integrity, and national sovereignty is a fundamental responsibility of the Taiwanese people, adding that preparedness is always preferable to being unprepared.
Flynn also said the range and lethality of the US military should not be underestimated, pointing to recent operations such as “Midnight Hammer,” “Absolute Resolve,” and “Epic Fury” as examples.
Flynn, now a senior adviser at Palantir, said Taiwan's work to build its own drone industry and acquire AI-assisted C5ISR systems is very important for its defense. He said AI can help gather intelligence, identify targets, protect forces, and sustain operations.
Reflecting on his visit to Taiwan last year to observe the Han Kuang 41 military exercise, Flynn said the large-scale mobilization drills, involving frontline personnel, reservists, and active-duty troops, represent a significant advance in Taiwan's training methods and demonstrate support from the elected government. However, he cautioned that such operational plans may still fall short of achieving the level of synchronization and coordination required in a real crisis.
Regarding Taiwan's exclusion from international joint military exercises, Flynn said creative approaches should be explored to enable participation, such as inviting regional partners to train in Taiwan. He cited China's participation in the Cobra Gold drills in Thailand, where its troops primarily engage in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
Flynn said that with careful consideration and creativity, there are certainly ways to involve Taiwan in these military collaborations.
