China poses more challenges than Russia for the West and democratic countries should cooperate in defending Taiwan, former U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Tuesday during a meeting with the self-governed island's president Tsai Ing-wen.
Before hearing the statement, which is almost certain to draw ire from Beijing, Tsai told Esper at her office in Taipei that the "expansion of authoritarianism and Russia's invasion of Ukraine have all reminded us that democratic partners must bolster the strength of their alliances to jointly defend a peace."
While Tsai stopped short of naming China, Esper, head of an Atlantic Council delegation that arrived Monday for a four-day visit, said Russia's invasion has proven that it is an autocratic country "but the greatest challenge facing the democracies of the West today is not in Russia. It is here in Asia."
"China continues to challenge the rules-based international order that threatens freedom loving peoples throughout the region," said Esper, who served as Pentagon chief under the administration of President Donald Trump between 2019 and 2020. "Taiwan is on the front lines of this epic contest."
At a time when calls for firmer action against China grow among cross-party U.S. lawmakers in Washington, Esper said it is important that the West stands up and defends "thriving democracies such as Taiwan against the bullying of (its) neighbor."
He added that Washington's one-China policy has "outlived its usefulness" and it is time to depart from "the strategic ambiguity."
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian countered his argument, saying at a press conference the one-China policy is the "political foundation" of China-U.S. relations.
Beijing "firmly opposes any attempts by anyone or any force to play the Taiwan card, interfere in China's internal affairs and harm China's core interests," Zhao added.
The visit by the delegation of the major U.S. think tank comes as China has intensified political and military pressure on Taiwan, which Beijing regards as a renegade province awaiting reunification with the mainland, by force if necessary.
Related coverage:
U.S., Taiwan launch initiative outside new regional economic framework
U.S. will stand with Taiwan, senator tells President Tsai
U.S. lawmakers vow support for Taiwan to guard democracy
