The Return of Great Powers by Jim Sciutto

Author:Jim Sciutto [Sciutto, Jim]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2024-03-12T00:00:00+00:00

TAIWAN “STRUGGLING” WITH US POLICY

Does Taiwan believe him? In April 2023, I put that question to Taiwan’s foreign minister, Joseph Wu: “Does Taiwan believe that the US would come to Taiwan’s defense militarily if China were to invade?” His answer reflected Taiwan’s difficult position resulting from the contrast between the president’s words and official US policy.

“Well, there are different things the United States can do in an event of a Chinese military attack against Taiwan,” Wu responded, notably not saying yes.

Wu went on to repeat what had become a standard Taiwanese government talking point when the issue of US military intervention came up: that Taiwan’s defense was, first and foremost, Taiwan’s job.

“We have also made it very clear defending Taiwan is our own responsibility. It’s our freedom and it’s our democratic way of life and it’s our sovereignty. And we want to defend ourselves,” Wu told me.

Deputy Minister Jan of the Mainland Affairs Council echoed Wu: “We always have this belief that in order to defend ourselves, we can only rely on ourselves, instead of relying on any other countries, even if they are friendly. . . . Exactly how other countries can come to our aid, I think that is the decision for the US government.”

And this was Deputy Economics Minister C. C. Chen: “It’s right to give Taiwan the ability to defend itself. That’s the main thing.”

As Admiral Lee put it: “There is no one that would like to help those people who do not want to help themselves. That is very important.”

The furthest Wu would go on the question was to note that the US had grown more steadfast in its commitment to help ward off a Chinese invasion. “The United States seems to be more determined than ever in the creating a situation that China would know that its military attack against Taiwan is going to be associated with a heavy cost. And we appreciate the United States for having this posture,” Wu told me before once more emphasizing Taiwan’s preeminent role in its own defense. “But I need to stress again, defending Taiwan is our own responsibility. And if we don’t want to defend ourselves, we have no right to ask any other countries to defend Taiwan.”

What does this all mean? Does Taiwan believe the US has actually changed its policy?

“Taiwan is struggling about the US policy on the Taiwan issue,” Admiral Lee told me. “It’s still a debate in the United States. . . . From Taiwan’s point of view, I don’t think we should always expect the United States troops will come if there is the conflict. Because this is dangerous thinking.”

That’s not exactly a vote of confidence in the pledge of a sitting US president. In some respects, Taiwan has learned from Ukraine’s success against Russia in another way—and that is that a robust self-defense is the price of admission for greater US military support. “Taiwan has to rely on itself to develop and establish a very strong self-defense capability,” Lee said.

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