This is CBSI on the world.

I'm John Dux with my colleagues, Gordon Chang at Gordon-Chi-Chang, with me in North America,

and our colleague Lance Gatling in Tokyo, Japan, watching this from the other side of the Pacific.

And what this is is a presentation by Elbridge Colby of the Defense Department,

under Secretary of Defense for Policy.

The headline in the FT,

U.S. demands to know what allies would do in the event of war over Taiwan.

Subhead, Trump administration says it is trying to prevent war, but raises eyebrows by calling for commitments of Taiwan. Subhead, Trump administration says it is trying to prevent war, but raises eyebrows by calling

for commitments from Australia and Japan. Before we go to Lance, Gordon, your measure of this

presentation by Mr. Colby. I note that there's reason to believe that it will happen again to

other allies, but these two allies in particular.

Is it surprising to you, Gordon, or is this some necessary clearing of the air after the Biden administration?

This is necessary clearing of the air because China could attack a neighbor, Taiwan or some other country, at any moment. And it's important for

countries to clarify their stance, especially because we have the Australian Prime Minister

Albanese now in China saying all sorts of nice things about Beijing. And that should put a lot of people in the United States on notice that maybe Australia

is not as firm an ally as we once thought. The quote from the defense official, otherwise

known as Bridge Colby, we do not seek war, nor do we seek to dominate China itself. What we are

doing is ensuring the United States and its allies

have the military strength to underwrite diplomacy and guarantee peace.

Lance, you are very keen on watching the Japanese government,

which has changed several times in these last years.

Mr. Ishiaba, the present prime minister, I'm told,

...