The Pentagon is urging Japan and Australia to make clear what position they’d play if the US and China went to battle over Taiwan, the Monetary Occasions reported on Saturday. Elbridge Colby, the US under-secretary of defence for coverage, has been pushing the matter throughout latest talks with defence officers of each international locations, the report stated, citing individuals accustomed to the discussions.Based on the newspaper, the reported request caught each Tokyo and Canberra off guard, because the US itself doesn’t supply a clean cheque assure to defend Taiwan.Colby stated in an X submit that the division of defence is concentrated on implementing the president’s “America First” frequent sense agenda of restoring deterrence and attaining peace via energy, which “contains by urging allies to step up their defence spending and different efforts associated to our collective defence.”The US is Taiwan’s most vital arms provider, regardless of an absence of formal diplomatic ties.REUTERS