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Pentagon officials are pressing allies like Japan and Australia to clarify what roles they would play in the event of a war between the United States and China over Taiwan, Financial Times reports, citing five informed sources.
According to the report, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby has been raising the issue during meetings with defense officials in Japan and Australia over recent months.
A U.S. Department of Defense official declined to comment directly but said that Colby’s discussions with allies focused on “accelerating and intensifying efforts to strengthen deterrence in a balanced and fair way.”
“Our focus is on preventing war through a strong deterrent shield,” the official said. “That requires strength, but it’s also a simple fact that our allies must contribute as well. We do not seek war. We do not seek dominance over China. We are ensuring that the United States and its allies have the military power to support diplomacy and guarantee peace.”
Japan’s Ministry of Defense responded that it is “difficult to answer a hypothetical question regarding a Taiwan contingency,” adding that any actions would be taken “on an individual and specific basis in accordance with the constitution, international law, and domestic legislation.”
Australia’s embassy in Washington declined to comment.
As reported earlier, China has urged the United States to act with extreme caution on the Taiwan issue, calling it the “most critical red line” in China-U.S. relations.
