The Donald Trump administration is lowering tensions with China by reducing how often it publicly mentions Taiwan. Analysts say the United States is deliberately not putting the Taiwan issue at the forefront to avoid a clash with China.
According to Bloomberg on the 31st (local time) of last month, U.S. defense Secretary Pete Hegseth did not mention Taiwan while explaining Indo-Pacific policy for about 30 minutes in a speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue, an Asian security summit held in Singapore over the weekend. Bloomberg emphasized that it was the first time in more than 10 years that a U.S. defense secretary did not mention the Taiwan issue in a Shangri-La Dialogue address.
Minister Hegseth said in the speech that "the era of performative outrage is over," stressing that the United States is pursuing a policy that is "strong but quiet and clear." He also assessed U.S.-China relations as "the best they have been in years." A year earlier at the same event, Minister Hegseth criticized China, citing the possibility of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan and disputes in the South China Sea, saying "China is trying to become Asia's hegemon."
Experts noted that Minister Hegseth's remarks came just weeks after President Xi Jinping warned President Trump that "mishandling the Taiwan issue could lead to a clash between the two countries."
Rory Medcalf, dean of the National Security College at the Australian National University, told Bloomberg, "It was the least confrontational speech by a U.S. administration in the 23-year history of the Shangri-La Dialogue," adding, "It's still uncertain whether this shows the strength of U.S. negotiating power or reveals its vulnerability."
After his meeting with Xi, President Trump referred to a $14.0 billion (21.1652 trillion won) plan to sell arms to Taiwan as a "bargaining chip." The remark is seen as a departure from long-standing U.S. policy practice on Taiwan.
China also toned down its approach to the United States at this Shangri-La Dialogue. Meng Xiangqing, a professor at the National defense University and the Chinese delegation's Director General, said, "We hope China and the United States will move toward each other," and "We hope bilateral military relations will develop in a healthy, stable and sustainable direction."
Bloomberg, however, analyzed that U.S. allies such as Japan and the Philippines are ramping up their checks on China. The United States is strengthening security cooperation with Japan and the Philippines, which have military bases on both sides of Taiwan.
Japan defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said, "It is strange that China, which possesses a large nuclear arsenal, criticizes Japan as 'neo-militarist.'" Philippines defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro also said in a Bloomberg TV interview that Japan, Vietnam and Taiwan are "a coalition of partners with common goals." He also made remarks to the effect that if a Chinese invasion of Taiwan occurs, Taiwanese people could take refuge in the Philippines.
While highly rating allies' efforts to strengthen their defense capabilities, Minister Hegseth did not mention Taiwan's recently passed special defense budget. Taiwan last week passed a $25.0 billion (37.7950 trillion won) special defense budget bill. The budget is slated to be used for purchases including U.S.-made counter-drone systems, an integrated battle command system and medium-range munitions.
Chris Estep, a fellow with the Asia Program at the Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI), said, "If the recent step by Taiwan had been publicly assessed, it could have clearly shown the United States' longstanding interest in deterring conflict in the Taiwan Strait," adding, "Silence itself appears to be a message."