Ex-NATO Secretary General: Arms Shipments Must Be Dispatched to Deter Chinese Strike Against Taiwan

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Thursday called for arms deliveries to Taiwan "now" to prevent China's alleged attack on the island and explain to Beijing the potential economic limitations it would face in the event of an attack.

"European politicians must stop sending mixed signals. China relies on exports to global markets to fuel its growth. It is far more entwined in global supply chains than Russia, so spelling out the economic consequences of an attack in advance can act as a powerful deterrent," Rasmussen wrote.

"To be an effective deterrent, we should give Taiwan the weapons it needs to defend itself now. Xi Jinping must calculate that the cost of an invasion is simply too high."

Rasmussen called for attention to the possible escalation around Taiwan and lessons learned from the Ukraine conflict to confront Beijing.

The former secretary general believes the most important way to deter China from making a move on Taiwan "is to ensure a Ukrainian victory in the current conflict." Otherwise, Russia's special military operation will set "a dangerous precedent," encouraging Beijing to "gain territory and establish a new status quo by force."

The situation around Taiwan escalated after then US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the island in early August. Beijing condemned Pelosi's trip, which it regarded as a gesture of support for separatism, and launched large-scale military exercises in the vicinity of the island. Despite this fact, several countries, including France, the US, Japan and others, have since sent their delegations to the island, further increasing tensions in the Taiwan Strait.

Taiwan has been governed independently from mainland China since 1949. Beijing views the island as its province, while Taiwan — a territory with its own elected government — maintains that it is an autonomous country but stops short of declaring independence. Beijing opposes any official contacts of foreign states with Taipei and considers Chinese sovereignty over the island indisputable.