Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea are our most reliable allies in that region of the Pacific. They stand as sentinels against Beijing and as important forward defense bases for our forces.

But Taiwan is under siege. The guns aren’t hot yet. But the Chinese Communists are doing all they can do intimidate Taiwan while Joe Biden is in office. They want to take her like Hitler took Prague, without a shot being fired. She would be the first Pacific domino. More would follow. National security ace Rebecca Grant brings us up to speed.

Grant: President Joe Biden might let Taiwan slip away just like Afghanistan. On Saturday Oct. 9, China’s President Xi Jinping said reunification with Taiwan “must happen and will happen.”

Make no mistake: the U.S. is already involved.  On Oct. 7, the Wall Street Journal and Politico confirmed small teams of U.S. Marines and special operations forces are on Taiwan for training.  “See whether the PLA will launch a targeted airstrike to eliminate those US invaders,” snarled China’s state-run Global Times.

Marines on Taiwan are a good start, but the escalating military activity by China suggests a risks war in the Pacific. And that puts America in a tough spot.  Wargames run by the U.S. military show it’s almost impossible to stop a mass amphibious invasion by China, unless American forces and allies are already on scene. Also consider this.  After Biden lost Afghanistan, it wouldn’t surprise me if China is thinking about a swift air attack or just landing troops at the airport and declaring Taiwan is reunified with China. President Biden can’t waste the chance to deter China and prevent a fight in the Pacific.  Here are two crucial steps:

1. Add more Marines, Army and Air Force personnel for training with Taiwan’s forces.  Rotating US military forces through Taiwan for exercises are the best way to deter China.  It worked in Europe.  Tripwire forces have two effects: they prepare Taiwan and allies to respond faster, and their presence raises the cost of starting a war.  Xi Jinping doesn’t want to run over U.S. Marines to take Taipei in a coup. That’s deterrence.  Since China has zero recent combat experience, U.S. deterrence moves must be clear and unmistakable.

2. Recognize Taiwan. On Oct. 6, four U.S. Congressmen called for full recognition of Taiwan.  They have the right idea.  Taiwan has 23 million people and the world’s 21st largest economy but Taiwan was dumped out of the United Nations to favor China back in the 1970s.  “No major power will dare openly recognize Taiwan as an independent sovereign state,” the mouthpiece Global Times taunted on Oct. 10.  Here’s a golden opportunity for Biden to regain some international respect.  He should recognize Taiwan and tell China to stuff it.