Taiwan yesterday denounced Chinese military incursions, including “shooting exercises” in international shipping routes. Such drills demonstrate the Chinese Communist Party’s capability for no-notice action against the democratic island nation.

President Trump declined yesterday to say how he would respond to such an attack. And defense contractor RAND recently engaged in astonishing “threat deflation,” contending that “the People’s Liberation Army remains focused on upholding CCP rule, not preparing for war.”

So, where do things actually stand? With thousands of Chinese soldiers now here, Beijing could act against Taiwan while creating conditions that would greatly complicate, if not preclude, a U.S. response.

But Mr. Trump’s Cabinet is as hardline on the CCP as any in our history, and his unwillingness to be drawn about a hypothetical Chinese invasion should be seen by Beijing as a deterrent, not an invitation to attack.

This is Frank Gaffney.