Florida Governor and a potential Republican presidential candidate, Ron DeSantis, said deterrence was the key to stopping Xi Jinping from invading Taiwan.

What Happened: DeSantis, who is on a global tour, said in an interview with Nikkei Asia in Tokyo, “The goal should be to deter a military situation from happening.”

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“If Xi Jinping thinks that the costs of him launching some type of hostile action outweigh whatever benefit he will receive, then you will not see that happen.”

DeSantis, who is mulling to run in the U.S. 2024 presidential election, did not clarify whether he favors U.S. intervening military in response to a potential Chinese attack on the island nation. This contrasted sharply with President Joe Biden‘s stance, who has repeatedly reiterated that Washington would protect Taiwan if Bejing attacks Taipei.

“Xi Jinping clearly wants to take Taiwan at some point. He’s got a certain time horizon,” DeSantis said, adding, “Ultimately, what China respects is strength.”

“The goal should be maintaining the status quo that we have now,” the Florida governor said, calling "ally" Taiwan “a free society that is flourishing,” and “an important strategic interest” as a key supplier of semiconductors.

Why It Matters: DeSantis’ comments on Taiwan indicate the contrasting opinions on foreign military involvement within the U.S. political sphere, particularly in conflicts such as the Ukraine war. While in his comments DeSantis stressed the importance of U.S. allies such as Japan and South Korea in dealing with Beijing, the Republican candidate also echoed former president Donald Trump's sentiments asking allies to do more to defend themselves.

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