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Politics

U.S. should abandon ambiguity on Taiwan defense: Japan's Abe

Former prime minister floats possibility of hosting American nuclear weapons

Japanese former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says the U.S. should abandon its ambiguous stance on how it would react to an attack on Taiwan.   © Reuters

TOKYO -- Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Sunday that it is time for the U.S. to make clear that it would defend Taiwan from a Chinese invasion and ditch its longstanding strategic ambiguity.

"The U.S. takes a strategy of ambiguity, meaning it may or may not intervene militarily if Taiwan is attacked," Abe said on a Fuji TV morning talk show. "By showing it may intervene, it keeps China in check, but by leaving the possibility that it may not intervene, it makes sure that the [Taiwanese] forces for independence do not run out of control," he said.

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