TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — NATO could be drawn into a possible Taiwan conflict if U.S. territory in the Pacific was attacked, according to a NATO Defense College report released Monday (April 15).

The report’s author, Academia Sinica research fellow James Lee (李語堂), argued that if China attacked American military assets in Hawaii, it could lead to NATO joining the fight if Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty was invoked. 

However, it depended on whether Hawaii was defined. He cited the UN Statistics Division’s definition of North America as including “the whole of the United States” but said the Pacific territory was currently not clearly designated. 

Even if Hawaii was seen as an extension of the continental U.S., “The scope of action on the part of the Allies would be relatively limited," he said. Lee said Washington would likely urge NATO to sanction China, or request members with a presence in the Indo-Pacific such as the U.K., France, Germany, and Canada to support U.S. regional operations.

The scholar recommended the U.S. and NATO form a Taiwan contingency plan to avoid "a window of vulnerability in Europe."

NATO previously considered setting up a liaison office in Tokyo to facilitate cooperation with Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and South Korea in the region. However, it deferred any decision on the plan. 

Hawaii is the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Command and hosts more than 10 key military bases.