WASHINGTON, DC – Chairman Mike Gallagher (R-WI) and Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) of the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party joined forces to counter a hypothetical 2027 Chinese Communist Party invasion of Taiwan. Following pointed CCP aggression across the Taiwan strait and blatant CCP provocations to use force against the island, committee members engaged in the table top exercise to craft a bipartisan response to a supposed invasion– militarily, economically, and diplomatically.
Why a wargame:
“The goal of these war games is to deter war. We want to identify our weaknesses and figure out what we can do in this Congress to enhance deterrence, to ensure peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and to tell Xi Jinping, today is not the day.” – Chairman Gallagher
“I think the purpose of [this wargame] is to make sure it doesn’t become reality.
We cannot have a situation where we are faced with what we’re going to be facing tonight.
And the only way to do that is to deter aggression, and to prevent a conflict from arising.”
– Ranking Member Krishnomoorthi
Click HERE for Chairman Gallagher’s opening remarks as prepared for delivery.
Chairman Gallagher commended the versatile nature of the exercise — which helped members to understand the potentially devastating economic impacts of a CCP invasion of Taiwan and to deploy financial and economic statecraft against the CCP. Gallagher credited his counterparts in the minority.
On Bipartisan Brainstorming:
“The game was run by a member of Biden’s transition team, and we had huge enthusiastic input from the minority. I think everyone there was laser focused on how we prevent war. I was surprised at how much time we spent talking about the economic and financial components of it, which is good and credit goes to the Ranking Member and the Democratic members who had the great idea to add an economic component to the game.” – Chairman Gallagher
On Economic Impact:
““Even if Xi’s intrusion of Taiwan doesn’t go kinetic and stays confined to a blockade scenario, there’s still trillions of dollars of loss and real pain to the global economy. There’s no costless scenario short of convincing Xi Jinping he cannot achieve his objective and therefore deterring the crisis in the first place.” – Chairman Gallagher
While the exercise served as a helpful tool for members to understand the CCP’s revisionist desire to upend peace and stability in the strait, Chairman Gallagher worried some in the American business community operate with some flawed assumptions about the CCP’s motivations.
“I recently had a conversation with one of the heads of a leading financial services company. He looked me in the eye and said that the probability of a cross strait invasion — the probability that Xi Jinping is going to launch an invasion — is near zero. I found myself shocked by that because at least on the Armed Services Committee on the Intel Committee, we are increasingly concerned about the prospects of a cross strait invasion. And for someone to say that –I think he’s not only geopolitically naïve, but bordering on fiduciary irresponsibility” – Chairman Gallagher
Following the exercise, Select Committee Members Dusty Johnson (R-SD) and Rob Wittman (R-VA) offered their thoughts on the CCP threat to Taiwan – alongside Chairman Gallagher.
“The American people need to know that China is talking on a regular basis about ‘unification’. They say that if ‘unification’ doesn’t happen diplomatically, in essence, through surrender, that they are willing to take the island. We want to live in a world where bullies don’t take whatever they want.” – Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD)
The threat form the CCP is real and the threat is from every level: It’s economically, it’s strategically, it’s even attacking the social fabric of our nation. They are serious about their efforts.” – Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA)
After studying the staggering costs of CCP aggression for two hours, members gave advice to leaders of the Chinese Communist Party to avoid devastation.
“We do not seek war…but America is going to make sure we are well-positioned to be able to deter their aggression and if they continue to be aggressors regardless, we are going to be ready to defend our allies.” – Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD)
“Do not underestimate the resolve of the United States…do not underestimate our ability to join with partners around the world to isolate China economically if they choose this path of aggressive behavior.” – Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA)
Afterwards, Chairman Gallagher reflected on the utility of the exercise and the impact it should have when the bipartisan select committee implements official policy recommendations:
“We are well within the window of maximum danger for a Chinese Communist Party invasion of Taiwan, and yesterday’s wargame stressed the need to take action to deter CCP aggression and arm Taiwan to the teeth before any crisis begins. The United States needs to deliver on our promises and clear the $19 billion weapons backlog to Taiwan, conduct enhanced joint military training, and reinforce our military posture throughout the region. The wargame also demonstrated the disastrous economic consequences that would follow from CCP aggression. Deterring war is the only path to peace and stability, and it is incumbent upon elected officials to take decisive action to do so before it’s too late.” – Chairman Gallagher
