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President Donald Trump aims to prevent conflict with China over Taiwan and the South China Sea by building up the military power of the US and its allies, according to a new US strategic memorandum.
The Trump administration laid out its approach to one of the world's most sensitive diplomatic issues in a 29-page official National Security Strategy document, only recently published online.
China considers democratically governed Taiwan its own, and Beijing has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control. China also has extensive regional claims, including almost the entire South China Sea, which are contested by many of its smaller neighbors.
The United States, like most countries, has no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan. But Washington is the island's most important international backer and is legally obligated to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself.
The Trump administration sees instability near Taiwan as a risk because of Taiwan's dominance in semiconductor manufacturing and because a significant portion of world trade passes through nearby waters, according to the document.
The issue has been a sticking point in U.S.-China relations for years. Trump has avoided saying directly how he would respond to an increase in tensions over the island and has said he is seeking to maintain good relations with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
He has also pressured Japan and South Korea, two key regional allies, to increase defense spending.
"We will build a military capable of denying aggression anywhere," in the chain of islands stretching from Japan to Southeast Asia, according to the latest strategy document.
"But the U.S. military cannot and should not do this alone. Our allies must step up and spend, and most importantly, much more on collective defense."
This will strengthen the "capacity of the US and its allies to deny any attempt to invade Taiwan" or any other step that would "make the defense of that island impossible."
The Trump administration also pledged to prevent "a potentially hostile power" from imposing a payment system or closing maritime corridors. This will require stronger naval capabilities, the document says.
It included a foreword signed by US President Donald Trump, who said it was "a plan of action to ensure that America remains the greatest and most successful nation in the history of mankind."
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