Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Beijing might overreact if Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) wins next year’s presidential election, a US expert said on Friday.

Richard Bush, director of the Center for East Asia Policy Studies at the Brookings Institution, was speaking at a Brookings panel discussion on the implications of China’s “rise” for US national security.

He said it was “way too early” to make a sound judgement about the upcoming elections.

A US defense expert is urging Japan to sell Soryu-class submarines equipped with US communications and weapons systems to Taiwan.

“Washington should make Taiwan’s submarine program a priority for the bilateral security relationship,” American Enterprise Institute defense policy analyst Michael Mazza said.

In a study published this week by institute, Mazza said US President Barack Obama’s administration should directly inform Beijing that it views China’s military modernization “with great concern.”