The United States is reportedly pressuring key Pacific allies to clarify their positions in the event of a war with China over Taiwan, according to a report by the Financial Times published Saturday.
Undersecretary of Defense Elbridge Colby has reportedly approached officials in Japan and Australia, urging them to define their potential military and strategic roles should a conflict erupt between Washington and Beijing. The U.S. is said to be pushing for increased defense spending and more detailed operational planning among its allies, including whether they would provide direct military support such as troops, naval forces, or logistical assistance in a Taiwan contingency.
The requests have reportedly caught both Tokyo and Canberra off guard, largely due to the U.S.’s longstanding policy of “strategic ambiguity”—an approach that intentionally avoids clarifying whether the U.S. would militarily intervene in the event of a Chinese attack on Taiwan.
Both Japan and Australia are said to be wary of making firm commitments without a clear understanding of Washington’s own intentions. According to the Financial Times, Pentagon officials acknowledge the reluctance from their allies but remain insistent on establishing stronger coordination as a response to China's growing military capabilities in the region.
Chinese analysts have responded to the developments by characterizing the U.S. pressure campaign as an attempt to offload the burden of a potential conflict onto frontline allies. Some have drawn comparisons between Taiwan and Ukraine, suggesting that Washington intends for Indo-Pacific nations to play the same strategic role against China that Ukraine plays in the West's confrontation with Russia.
Since 2022, the U.S. has significantly ramped up its military presence in the region, including the deployment of troops to Taiwan’s Kinmen Islands—located just off the coast of mainland China. Additionally, Taiwan recently activated its first artillery unit equipped with the U.S.-supplied High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), and the U.S. has delivered at least five Harpoon anti-ship missile systems to the island.