TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The United States should abandon its stance of strategic ambiguity toward Taiwan as its “one China” policy has outlived its usefulness, former Defense Secretary Mark Esper told President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) Tuesday (July 19).

The former Trump administration official was visiting Taiwan with a delegation from the Atlantic Council, a prominent Washington D.C.-based think tank.

Meeting the president Tuesday morning, Esper said the U.S. should “move away” from its policy of remaining vague about its response to an eventual Chinese attack on Taiwan. Politicians in the U.S. should see how the people of Taiwan fully supported the defense of their democracy, while the global democratic community would also stand by Taiwan, he said.

One of the measures Esper recommended was the extension of military service to cover both men and women for at least one year, the Liberty Times reported. He also advocated a larger defense budget, the development of more weapons, and the strengthening of the reservist system.

Esper said the main threat to democracy was not Russia, but China, as it was damaging the international rules-based order and threatening all peace-loving people. He described how Taiwan was situated on the frontline of the resistance of democracies against authoritarian regimes like China.

Tsai responded by emphasizing that Taiwan would strengthen its cooperation with members of the global democratic community to safeguard peace, security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region, CNA reported.