House GOP accuses Biden administration of delaying Taiwan arms sales and withholding China sanctions.
The Biden administration is facing criticism for its handling of Taiwan weapons purchases and sanctions on Chinese companies. Republicans claim that the administration is slow-walking approvals and not imposing sanctions aggressively due to fears of angering the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). This fear is not only visible to the CCP but also to nations across the world, especially those in the Asia Pacific region. Recent incidents, such as the spy balloon incident and Chinese hacking of government email accounts, have raised concerns about the administration’s approach.
“This administration appears indifferent to CCP hostility with its appeasing … to facilitate talks,” said House Foreign Relations Committee Chair Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas). “I think our recent diplomacy towards the CCP has demonstrated weakness—and weakness invites aggression—and emboldened dictators such as Chairman Xi.
“In some ways,” he continued, “I think this administration finds itself trapped in a cycle where the CCP dictates the terms, the timing, and conditions of our meetings rather than the other way around. You should be at the table at a place of strength and leverage, not out of weakness and appeasement.”
Mr. McCaul expressed his concerns during a House hearing on the State Department’s proposed budget for Eastern Asia and the Pacific. He confronted State Department Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink about the administration’s actions that seem contrary to congressional direction in supporting Taiwan and sanctioning Chinese companies.
A sign advertising Chinese telecoms equipment manufacturer Huawei stands on an apartment building on Oct. 11, 2019, in Warsaw, Poland. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
Not ‘Pulling Punches’ Against CCP
Mr. McCaul raised concerns about reports that the State Department is no longer enforcing sanctions, including those under the Uighur Muslim Rights Act. He asked Mr. Kritenbrink for clarification on this matter.
“It’s absolutely not true that we are pulling our punches in any way,” Mr. Kritenbrink responded. “And in fact, the United States government and the State Department have taken an unprecedented number of steps against the Chinese in a broad range of areas that has continued from the beginning of this administration. It has continued up until today.”
Mr. McCaul also questioned the State Department’s handling of export controls on Huawei and other sanction packages. He expressed concerns about the delay or denial of licenses to the company.
Mr. Kritenbrink assured that export controls on Huawei remain in place and emphasized that the administration has taken numerous actions against China.
A U.S.-made F-16V fighter jet with its armaments is on display during an exercise at a military base in Chiayi, southern Taiwan, on Jan. 15, 2020. (Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images)
Taiwan Waiting for $19 Billion in Weapons
Mr. McCaul questioned why the Biden administration has not tapped into the $500 million Taiwan Foreign Military Financing (FMF) fund to finance $19 billion in weapons purchases for Taiwan. He expressed concerns about the delay in providing weapons to Taiwan.
Mr. Kritenbrink explained that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has laid out the parameters for how the seed funding could facilitate weapons purchases for Taiwan’s defense. He assured that the administration is committed to using all means at its disposal to support Taiwan’s defense.
However, Mr. McCaul expressed dissatisfaction with the administration’s response and emphasized the importance of providing weapons systems to Taiwan before a conflict erupts.
Subcommittee chair Rep. Young Kim (R-Calif.) criticized the “backlog in weapons deliveries” and the State Department’s lack of transparency in addressing delays. She stressed the need to bolster Taiwan’s defense against an increasingly aggressive China.
During a trip to the region, Ms. Kim heard from allies that U.S. leadership is crucial in the fight against authoritarianism and in supporting Taiwan’s defense.
She criticized the administration for engaging in fruitless engagements with Chinese Communist Party officials instead of taking competitive actions against China.
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