Conflict over Taiwan would be disastrous, de facto US ambassador says

If a war or conflict occurs in the Taiwan Strait, it could have a greater impact on the global economy than World War II, said Raymond Greene, the de facto US ambassador to Taiwan. Greene, representing the US government at a defense forum in Taipei on September 9, said there is no issue more important than maintaining peace in the Taiwan Strait. He warned that a war in the Taiwan Strait could lead to many casualties and cause severe damage to the global economy. US President Donald Trump has made maintaining peace in the Asia-Pacific region one of his top priorities. He stated that diplomatic engagement is actively underway, and the upcoming US-China summit is particularly important. Greene said efforts will be made to avoid misunderstandings and miscalculations between the two countries during the upcoming US-China summit. Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to visit the United States at the end of September to meet and discuss with Donald Trump. The US government is strengthening cooperation with its allies to confront power challenges in the Asia-Pacific region. He said the US will continue to support Taiwan's efforts to enhance its self-defense capabilities. As China increases its military threats, the Taiwanese government is prioritizing increasing military spending and modernizing its military. The Taiwanese government has increased its defense budget for 2027 to over 1 trillion Taiwanese dollars for the first time in history.