US and China lock horns over Taiwan at Singapore conference

The private meeting, described as “professional and focused,” lasted just under an hour and focused mainly on Taiwan, according to a U.S. defense official. As he repeated in his public remarks the following morning, Austin told Wei that U.S. policy toward Taiwan has not changed despite President Joe Biden’s affirmative answer last month in Japan, when asked if he was “willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan, if it comes to that.”

“Our policy is unchanged and unwavering,” Austin said in his Saturday speech. “We remain firmly committed to our long-standing one-China policy … We categorically oppose any unilateral changes to the status quo from either side. We do not support Taiwan independence.”

“Now, as a part of our one-China policy, we will continue to fulfill our commitments under the Taiwan Relations Act. That includes assisting Taiwan in maintaining a sufficient self-defense capability,” he said. “And it means maintaining our own capacity to resist any use of force or other forms of coercion that would jeopardize the security or the social or economic system of the people of Taiwan.”

DEFENSE SECRETARY AUSTIN MEETS CHINESE COUNTERPART FOR FIRST IN-PERSON DIALOGUE

‘WE WILL DEFEND OUR INTERESTS WITHOUT FLINCHING’: In his speech, which was billed as a major policy address on U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy, Austin accused the Chinese of a “coercive and aggressive approach” to its “illegal maritime claims” in the South China Sea.

“We see growing coercion from Beijing. We’ve witnessed a steady increase in provocative and destabilizing military activity near Taiwan,” Austin said, “And that includes PLA [People’s Liberation Army] aircraft flying near Taiwan in record numbers in recent months — and nearly on a daily basis.”

“The stakes are especially stark in the Taiwan Strait,” he said. “Let me be clear. We do not seek confrontation or conflict. And we do not seek a new Cold War, an Asian NATO, or a region split into hostile blocs.” But, he added, “We will defend our interests without flinching.”

LLOYD AUSTIN REBUKES CHINA’S ‘MORE COERCIVE AND AGGRESSIVE APPROACH’

‘WE WILL FIGHT AT ALL COST’: In his rebuttal to Austin Sunday morning, Wei, dressed in his Chinese military uniform, called on the U.S. to “stop smearing and containing China,” and he insisted China was turning the South China Sea into a “sea of peace.”

“Stop interfering in China’s internal affairs. The bilateral relationship cannot improve unless the U.S. side can do that,” he said, accusing the U.S. of attempting to “hijack countries” to “encircle” China.

“Taiwan is an internal affair of China,” Wei said. “China Taiwan unification is a great cause of the Chinese nation, and it is a historical trend that no one and no force can stop.”

Wei called Taiwan’s current status a “legacy of China’s civil war,” and he compared China’s desire to bring Taiwan under Beijing’s control to the U.S. Civil War to stop the southern states from seceding. “Let me make this clear if anyone dares to secede Taiwan from China, we will not hesitate to fight. We will fight at all costs, and we will fight to the very end. This is the only choice for China.”

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Good Monday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre’s Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and edited by Victor I. Nava. Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com. If signing up doesn’t work, shoot us an email and we’ll add you to our list. And be sure to follow us on Twitter: @dailyondefense.

JAPAN FEARS CHINA SEES RUSSIA’S WAR IN UKRAINE AS MODEL FOR ASIA DOMINANCE

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HAPPENING TODAY: The Senate meets at 3 p.m. to resume consideration of H.R. 3967, the Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act, with a vote on cloture set for around 5:30 p.m.

ALSO TODAY: The House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol is holding its second hearing with testimony scheduled from former Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien; former Fox News staffer Chris Stirewalt, a member of Fox’s Election night team that called Arizona for Biden; BJay Pak, former U.S. attorney for the North District of Georgia; Al Schmidt, former Philadelphia city commissioner; and conservative Republican election attorney Ben Ginsberg. 10 a.m. 390 Cannon. https://january6th.house.gov/

ALLEN OUT AT BROOKINGS: Retired Marine Corps Gen. John Allen resigned from the prestigious Brookings Institution after it was revealed that he is under federal investigation for possible illegal lobbying on behalf of the government of Qatar several years ago.

The Associated Press reported last week that the FBI had seized the electronic data of Allen’s, indicating he “made false statements and withheld ‘incriminating’ documents” when questioned about his role in urging the Trump administration to temper its criticism of Qatar.

“The integrity and objectivity of Brookings’s scholarship constitute the institution’s principal assets and Brookings seeks to maintain high ethical standards in all its operations,” Brookings said in a statement that made no mention of why Allen was stepping down.

“We want to thank John for his contributions to Brookings, including his leadership in successfully guiding the institution during the pandemic, as well as his many years of service and sacrifice for our country … the search for a new president will be forthcoming.”

RETIRED FOUR-STAR GENERAL ACCUSED OF FOREIGN LOBBYING RESIGNS AS BROOKINGS HEAD

RUSSIA GAINING GROUND IN SEVERODONETSK: The latest reports from Ukraine indicate Russian forces are on the verge of taking full control of Severodonetsk, a key objective in their effort to take over all of the Luhansk region of the Donbas.

“Russia is using its overmatch in force ratio and artillery to gradually seize territory in and around Severodonetsk,” the British Defense Ministry said in a tweet.

In his nightly video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the Ukrainian resistance is being severely hampered because his forces do not yet have the long-range artillery it needs to beat back the Russian advance, nor the air defenses to counter air and missile strikes.

“They are pressing in Severodonetsk, where very fierce fighting is going on — literally for every meter,” Zelensky said. “We tell our partners a simple thing: Ukraine needs modern missile defense systems. The supply of such systems was possible this year, last year and even earlier. Did we get them? No. Do we need them? Yes.”

DESPITE GAIN, RUSSIA ARMY STILL STRUGGLING: Russian forces are facing a manpower shortage, and according to Zelensky, have already lost 40,000 troops — a number that cannot be verified.

“The Russian army is trying to deploy reserve forces in Donbas. But what reserves can they have now? It seems that they will try to throw into battle poorly trained conscripts and those who were gathered by covert mobilization,” Zelensky said, making a claim that has been backed up by British intelligence.

“Russia continues to seek to generate more combat units to deploy to Ukraine. In recent weeks, it has likely started preparing to deploy the third battalion from some combat formations,” the British Defense Ministry tweeted. “The third battalions within brigades are often not fully staffed — Russia will likely have to rely on new recruits or mobilized reservists to deploy these units to Ukraine.”

“Russian generals see their people simply as the cannon fodder they need to gain an advantage in numbers — in manpower, in military equipment,” said Zelensky.

BIDEN TO MAKE NICE WITH MBS: The White House has yet to make an announcement, but plans are in the works for President Joe Biden to visit Saudi Arabia later this month and for a face-to-face visit with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, known as MBS.

During his presidential campaign, Biden vowed to make Saudi Arabia a “pariah” for MBS’s alleged role in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey.

As evidence the visit is a done deal, the White House dispatched former Pentagon press secretary John Kirby, now the coordinator for strategic communications at the NSC, to make a series of media appearances to explain how the pariah state is now a much-needed partner to help bring down oil prices, as gas hits $5 a gallon.

“I mean, look, the president was honest at the time after Jamal Khashoggi was killed,” said Kirby on CNN. “We put accountability measures in. We held the Saudis accountable, parts of their government, for that. But they are an important partner in a region that is absolutely still vital to U.S. national security interests.”

“And so, again, without speaking to a trip that hasn’t been announced or a meeting that hasn’t been set, I can tell you that the president is going to be completely unafraid to have honest, candid discussions with leaders around the world, with those with whom we agree on almost everything and those where we have differences.”

“It’s important for him to be willing and able to meet with leaders all across the world, no matter who they are or who they represent, if, in fact, it’s going to improve U.S. national security interests. And, in this case, the president absolutely believes that’s the case.”

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The Rundown

Washington Examiner: Lloyd Austin rebukes China’s ‘more coercive and aggressive approach’

Washington Examiner: Defense Secretary Austin meets Chinese counterpart for first in-person dialogue

Washington Examiner: Japan fears China sees Russia’s war in Ukraine as model for Asia dominance

Washington Examiner: Ukrainian official says Russia can likely withstand war pace ‘for another year’

Washington Examiner: US official cites Russian ‘laboratory of horrors’ and possible ‘sham referendum’ in Ukraine

Washington Examiner: Russia claims it destroyed warehouse loaded with Western weapons in Ukraine

Washington Examiner: Retired four-star general accused of foreign lobbying resigns as Brookings head

Washington Examiner: Former British soldier who joined fight in March killed in Ukraine

Washington Examiner: Nuclear arsenals expected to grow for first time since Cold War: Report

Washington Examiner: Marines identify five service members killed in aircraft crash in California

Reuters: Russian Artillery Destroying Sievierodonetsk, Hundreds Of Civilians Shelter In Chemical Plant

Wall Street Journal: Ukraine Fears Defeat In East Without Weapons Resupply

Washington Post: In Kherson, misery under Russian occupation, hope over Ukrainian gains

Washington Post: Thousands of Afghan families remain separated after messy U.S. exit

New York Times: The Secret Pentagon Photos of the First Prisoners at Guantánamo Bay

Navy Times: Naval Air Forces to hold ‘safety pause’ after string of crashes

Defense One: As More Aviation Accidents Pile Up, Key Safety Recommendations Remain Undone

Bloomberg: Trump’s Air Force One Deal Pains the Pentagon, Not Just Boeing

Bloomberg: Biden Ditches Trump’s Red-White-Blue Livery for Air Force One

Defense News: Japan to Continue Increasing Defense Spending Over Next Five Years

Breaking Defense: Australia Pays Up To French Sub Maker For Cancelled Deal; Paris Reacts Positively

Air Force Magazine: First-Ever F-35 Aggressor Squadron Stands Up at Nellis

Air Force Magazine: Bunch Says Quick-Reaction Funds Would Help New Tech Cross the ‘Valley of Death’

Air Force Magazine: Lawmakers Want USAF to Help Drone Pilots With Well Being, Resiliency

19fortyfive.com: Look to World War I for Lessons About Today’s Navy

19fortyfive.com: Putin Has a Big Ukraine Problem: He Is Running Out of Contract Soldiers

19fortyfive.com: How Fast Could Iran Build a Nuclear Weapon?

Calendar

MONDAY | JUNE 13

9:30 a.m. — Information Technology Industry Council virtual inaugural “2022 Cyber Summit,” with White House National Cyber Director Chris Inglis; Eric Goldstein, executive assistant director for cybersecurity at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency; Niall Brennan, vice president at SAP; Deborah Gill, vice president of strategy, security and resilience organization at Dell Technologies; Ryan Gillis, vice president of cyber strategy and global policy at Palo Alto Networks; Michael Montoya, senior vice president and chief information security officer at Equinix; and Helen Patton, advisory CISO at Cisco https://www.itic.org/news-events/events/itis-cyber-summit-2022

10 a.m. 390 Cannon — House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol hearing on “the January 6th Investigation,” with testimony from former Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien; former Fox News staffer Chris Stirewalt, a member of Fox’s Election night team that called Arizona for Biden; BJay Pak, former U.S. attorney for the North District of Georgia; Al Schmidt, former Philadelphia city commissioner; and conservative Republican election attorney Ben Ginsberg. https://january6th.house.gov

10 a.m. — Atlantic Council virtual discussion:”Pressure Points: Where the War in Ukraine is Being Decided,” with Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, member of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine; former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Gen. Philip Breedlove; former Defense Undersecretary for Policy Eric Edelman; former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine John Herbst, senior director at the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center; and Daniel Fried, fellow at the Atlantic Council https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/pressure-points

10:30 a.m. — Brookings Institution and Lawfare virtual discussion: “Allies: How America failed its partners in Afghanistan,” with Shala Gafary, managing attorney at the Human Rights First Afghan Legal Assistance Project; Steven Miska, executive director of First Amendment Voice; Matt Zeller, senior adviser at Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America; and Bryce Klehm, associate editor at Lawfare https://www.brookings.edu/events/allies-how-america-failed

1 p.m. — Government Executive Media Group Defense One Tech Summit, with Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks; and Michael Horowitz, director of the Office of the Defense Undersecretary for Policy’s Emerging Capabilities Policy Office https://d1techsummit.com/

2 p.m. 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W. — Wilson Center Global Europe Program discussion: “The Marshall Plan at 75: Lessons for Ukraine?” with Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Dereck Hogan; Jonathan Katz, director of democracy initiatives at the Atlantic Council; and Wolfgang Petritsch, president of that Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation https://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/marshall-plan-75-lessons-ukraine

6 p.m. — Hudson Institute virtual book discussion: “Heavy Metal: The Hard Days and Nights of the Shipyard Workers Who build America’s Supercarriers,” with author Michael Fabey, U.S. editor at Jane’s Fighting Ships https://www.hudson.org/events/2118-heavy-metal-a-book-talk

TUESDAY | JUNE 14

9 a.m. Arlington National Cemetery — U.S. Army Military District of Washington wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to mark the Army’s 247th birthday,” with Army Secretary Christine Wormuth; Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville; and Sgt. Maj. Michael Grinston usarmy.[email protected]

10 a.m. — Center for a New American Security virtual 2022 National Security Conference on “Security in the Balance,” with Colin Kahl, undersecretary of defense for policy; retired Lt. Gen. Robert Ashley, former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency; and others. Full agenda at https://conference.cnas.org

1 p.m. — Government Executive Media Group Defense One Tech Summit, with Dave Frederick, executive director of the U.S. Cyber Command https://d1techsummit.com/

5 p.m. — Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft virtual discussion: “The Threat of Nuclear War: Four Decades After ‘The Day After,” with Jeff Daniels, director/producer; Katrina vanden Heuvel, editorial director and publisher of The Nation; and Sharon Weiner, associate professor at American University’s School of International Service https://quincyinst.org/event/the-threat-of-nuclear-war

WEDNESDAY | JUNE 15

All Day Brussels, Belgium — Two day meeting of NATO defense ministers begins with a working dinner in which partners Finland, Georgia, Sweden, Ukraine and the European Union. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin attends in person. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is scheduled to brief reporters both days. https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news

9 a.m — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin delivers opening remarks at the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting at the NATO Headquarters in Brussels. https://www.defense.gov/News/Live-Events

9 a.m. — Henry Stimson Center virtual discussion: “Lethal and Effective: Marine Corps Force Design 2030 and U.S Japan Defense Cooperation,” with Gen. Eric Smith, assistant commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps; and Yuki Tatsumi, senior fellow and co-director of the Stimson Center’s East Asia Program https://www.stimson.org/event/lethal-and-effective-marine-corps

10 a.m. 390 Cannon — House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol hearing on “the January 6th Investigation,” with testimony from Jeffrey Rosen, former acting attorney general, his deputy Richard Donoghue and Justice Department official Steve Engel. https://january6th.house.gov

10 a.m. — Center for a New American Security virtual 2022 National Security Conference on “Security in the Balance,” with retired Air Force Gen. Mike Holmes; Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., chairman, House Armed Services Committee; and others. Full agenda at https://conference.cnas.org

10 a.m. — Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments virtual discussion: “Deterrence and Defense in the Baltic Region: New Realities,” with Estonian Ambassador to the U.S. Kristjan Prikk; Kusti Salm, permanent secretary of the Estonian Ministry of Defense; Thomas Mahnken, CSBA president and CEO; Jan van Tol, CSBA senior fellow; Chris Bassler, CSBA senior fellow; Katherine Kjellstrom, CSBA fellow; and Tyler Hacker, CSBA analyst https://csbaonline.org/about/events/deterrence-and-defense

12:00 p.m. — Hudson Institute virtual event: “The Ambassadors Series: A Conversation with Swedish Ambassador,” with Karin Olofsdotter, Ambassador of Sweden to the U.S.; and Michael Doran, senior fellow and director, Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East, Hudson Institute https://www.eventbrite.com/e/virtual-event-a-conversation

12:45 p.m. — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley hold a news conference, after a Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting at the NATO Headquarters in Brussels. https://www.defense.gov/News/Live-Events

1 p.m. — Government Executive Media Group Defense One Tech Summit discussion: “Emerging Technologies for Tomorrow’s U.S. Military” https://d1techsummit.com/

7 p.m. — Politics and Prose bookstore book discussion on “Degrade and Destroy: The Inside Story of the War Against the Islamic State, from Barack Obama to Donald Trump,” with author Michael Gordon, national security correspondent at the Wall Street Journal https://www.politics-prose.com/event

THURSDAY | JUNE 16

TBA Brussels, Belgium — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin press conference at the conclusion of the NATO defense ministerial at NATO Headquarters https://www.defense.gov/News/Live-Events/

8 a.m. 3351 Fairfax Dr. — National Defense Industrial Association 2022 Human Systems Conference at the George Mason University Arlington Campus, focusing on Joint Cognitive Systems, June 15-16, with Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering David Honey delivers keynote address https://www.ndia.org/events/2022/6/15/2022-human-systems-conference

9 a.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion with Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova https://www.csis.org/events/armchair-conversation

9:45 a.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion: “Korea-Japan Relations and Trilateral Cooperation,” with former National Security Council Director for East Asia Christopher Johnstone, CSIS Japan chair; and Sue Mi Terry, director of the Wilson Center’s Asia Program https://www.csis.org/events/capital-cable

10 a.m. 390 Cannon — House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol hearing on “the January 6th Investigation,” with testimony from Greg Jacob, former chief counsel to the vice president https://january6th.house.gov

10 a.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion: “Assessing Russia’s War in Ukraine,” with former Defense Undersecretary for Intelligence Michael Vickers https://www.csis.org/events/assessing-russias-war-ukraine

12 p.m. — Hudson Institute virtual discussion: beginning at noon, on “Regaining Decision Advantage: Overhauling Joint All-Domain Command and Control to Bolster U.S. Deterrence,” with retired Air Force Gen. Herbert Carlisle, former commander at Air Force Air Combat Command and chair of the Stimson Center’s Board of Directors; retired Navy Adm. Scott Swift, former commander U.S. Pacific Fleet and founder of the Swift Group LLC; and retired Army Lt. Gen. Eric Wesley, former deputy commander at Army Futures Command and executive vice president of strategic planning at Flyer Defense LLC https://www.hudson.org/events/2120-virtual-event

WEDNESDAY | JUNE 22

10 a.m. 2118 Rayburn — House Armed Services Committee full committee markup of H.R.7900, the FY2023 NDAA http://www.armedservices.house.gov