It would be “unfathomable” for Australia not to join the United States should Washington make a move to shield Taiwan, Australian Defense Minister Peter Dutton said on Saturday.
On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said the United States and its partners would take unknown “activity” if China somehow happened to utilize power to change business as usual over Taiwan.
“It would be inconceivable that we wouldn’t support the U.S. in an action if the U.S. chose to take that action,” Dutton told The Australian newspaper in an interview.
“And, again, I think we should be very frank and honest about that, look at all of the facts and circumstances without pre-committing, and maybe there are circumstances where we wouldn’t take up that option, (but) I can’t conceive of those circumstances.”
China’s military said on Tuesday it led a battle availability watch toward the Taiwan Strait, after its Defense Ministry censured a visit by a U.S. legislative appointment to Taiwan, the equitably represented island guaranteed by Beijing.
“(China’s) been very clear about their intent to go into Taiwan and we need to make sure that there is a high level of preparedness, a greater sense of deterrence by our capability, and that is how I think we put our country in a position of strength,” Dutton told the paper.
China has not precluded utilizing power to bring Taiwan under its influence, however has made light of the thought that war is up and coming.
