Q&A: Former US official says China’s bullying boosts global support for Taiwan

The White House sent an unofficial delegation to attend the inauguration of Taiwan’s new president on May 20. Richard Armitage, former deputy secretary of state, was among the delegates. VOA spoke with Armitage about his trip to Taiwan, U.S. support for the self-governing island, China’s aggression in the region and its ties with Russia.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

VOA: During your visit to Taiwan, you met with the new president, Lai Ching-te, and other new government officials. What message did you bring to Taiwan? And what did you discuss there?

Richard Armitage, former U.S. deputy secretary of state: The obvious message we brought to Taiwan was a bipartisan support for Taiwan’s democracy. I had met Dr. Lai before. I had the opportunity to have dinner with him, discuss the situation in the region, and the pressures put forward by the mainland, and obviously also had lunch with [former President Tsai Ing-wen] where we could tell her how happy we were after her eight fantastic years of the presidency. And now she’s going to be free.

VOA: Three days after President Lai took office, China conducted the military drills encircling Taiwan and called them “a punishment for separatist acts.” How to interpret the military drills and China’s message?

Armitage: That type of exercise, punishment exercise, was expected. The inauguration speech of Lai was fantastic. And, in my view, Chinese probably understood one of the many things Dr. Lai said was China must quit intimidating Taiwan. And also, on the other hand, Lai said, we are open for dialogue on the basis of mutual respect and dignity, thereby putting Taiwan on the high road. And I think China was not expecting it, didn’t know quite how to respond. So, they did, as they usually do, by a heavy-handed bullying activity.

VOA: Given China’s growing military might and its proximity to Taiwan, what kind of position does it put the U.S. in in terms of defending Taiwan?

Armitage: Taiwan’s geographic position in the world is the definition of tyranny by proximity, and Taiwan has to live with this. But while China is busy bullying Taiwan, if you look around the world, more and more people are speaking up for Taiwan, even in the WHA [World Health Assembly]. Many people spoke up for Taiwan, I believe, more than ever before. China has not understood that the more China bullies Taiwan, the more international support comes to Taiwan.

VOA: Do you think Taiwan should upgrade its military assets? Or what kind of military assets do you think Taiwan should have to deter China’s aggression?

Armitage: First of all, Taiwan has to concentrate on what we’ve seen is effective in Ukraine – drones, things of that nature, sort of unconventional, asymmetrical warfare. Air defense, Patriot missiles, things of that nature. And hopefully, the monies that the U.S. Congress voted for Taiwan defense will be used wisely and well. But ultimately, Taiwan has to come up with a way to come up to 100% manning level for their soldiers. The report submitted to the LY [Legislative Yuan] by Taiwan this week shows Taiwan is at about 80% of their needs. So, I think, this means more and more women should come into the force. More and more Taiwan citizens have to be able to respect those who choose to serve for the defense of Taiwan.

VOA: Russia’s President Vladimir Putin recently visited China after he began a fifth term. How concerned are you about the deepening ties between Russia and China?

Armitage: I’m concerned. Because when I look at Russia and China, I also see North Korea and Iran. And facing those four in Asia is a new situation we haven’t had before. So, am I concerned? Yes. Am I overly concerned? No. My understanding is, Putin was not entirely pleased with what happened on his trip to Beijing. He didn’t get everything he wanted.

VOA: Do you hope that China can do more to actually help solve the conflict in the region?

Armitage: You’re talking about Ukraine? I certainly would like to see China live up to what should be her responsibility for an area of conflict that worries the whole world. But I don’t see China in a hurry to do it. China always says that “We always respect territorial integrity and sovereignty,” and here, Russia has violated the sovereignty of Ukraine, and China – silent.

VOA: The Philippines now is facing a more increasingly assertive China in its behavior and actions in the region. What do you make of China’s behaviors in the region?

Armitage: China, first of all, has always said, “No one’s going to have joint patrols to assist Philippines.” They were wrong. China has not clearly understood that in our mutual defense treaty between the United States and the Philippines, Scarborough Shoal, Second Thomas reef, these are areas that fall under our responsibilities.

China has to be very careful. Look what’s happened in the last year: People who were not very interested historically, in security terms, in the Taiwan Strait have all of a sudden become very interested. Canadians, French, Germans, British and always the United States, we’re all patrolling around the area. It’s been brought about by China. It wasn’t brought about by the Philippines, wasn’t brought about by Taiwan. It wasn’t brought about by Japan. It’s because of the behavior of China.

VOA: Among all the areas of conflict, which area do you think poses the biggest threat to the U.S. leadership in the world?

Armitage: Probably the Russia attack on Ukraine, because we [the U.S.] are so invested in Ukraine. … But I think any foreign policy specialist in the U.S. would not try to rank things in order of importance. Our attention, our interests are global. And therefore, to put one situation above another is to invite problems in those areas that are not number one.

If you remember in 1950, our secretary of state famously said that Korea was outside the defense perimeter of the United States. And what happened? Several months later, North Korea invaded. So, I would say it’s bad business to try to put anything in an order.

Adrianna Zhang contributed to this report.