Dhaka, July 13 -- The Pentagon is urging Japan and Australia to clarify what role they would play if the US and China went to war over Taiwan, the Financial Times reported on Saturday.
Elbridge Colby, the US under-secretary of defense for policy, has been pushing the matter during recent talks with defense officials of both countries, the report said, citing people familiar with the discussions.
According to the newspaper, the reported request caught both Tokyo and Canberra off guard, as the US itself does not offer a blank cheque guarantee to defend Taiwan.
Reuters could not verify the report. The US Department of defense did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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