{"id":1587971,"date":"2022-08-04T07:01:41","date_gmt":"2022-08-04T11:01:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1587971"},"modified":"2022-08-04T07:01:54","modified_gmt":"2022-08-04T11:01:54","slug":"america-needs-to-figure-out-its-long-term-taiwan-policy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/america-needs-to-figure-out-its-long-term-taiwan-policy\/","title":{"rendered":"America Needs To Figure Out Its Long-Term Taiwan Policy"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Famerica-needs-to-figure-out-its-long-term-taiwan-policy%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1587971&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Following weeks of public speculation, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi arrived in Taiwan on Tuesday night, confirming previous reports that the California Democrat would be traveling to the East Asian nation with several members of Congress.<\/p>\n<p>Upon arriving in the capital city of Taipei, Pelosi\u2019s office released a statement on the trip, with the House Speaker saying that it \u201chonors America\u2019s unwavering commitment to supporting Taiwan\u2019s vibrant Democracy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur discussions with Taiwan leadership will focus on reaffirming our support for our partner and\u00a0on\u00a0promoting our shared interests, including advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific region,\u201d Pelosi said in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.speaker.gov\/newsroom\/8222-2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">press release<\/a>. \u201cAmerica\u2019s solidarity with the 23 million people of Taiwan is more important today than ever, as\u00a0the world faces a choice between autocracy and democracy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The trip by Pelosi marks the first time a U.S. House Speaker has visited the island in 25 years, with Republican Newt Gingrich having been the last to travel to Taiwan in 1997.<\/p>\n<p>The Chinese government, which claims Taiwan as Chinese territory, expressed outrage at Pelosi\u2019s visit and has since proclaimed a series of actions the country plans to take in response. In addition to <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MoNDefense\/status\/1554823077414187008?s=20&#038;t=I7aDXUkgljeBvmott9uTPA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">deploying<\/a> more than 20 military aircraft into Taiwan\u2019s airspace on Wednesday, Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials <a href=\"https:\/\/www.globaltimes.cn\/page\/202208\/1272077.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">announced<\/a> via state-run media that the People\u2019s Liberation Army (PLA) plans to conduct live-fire military drills in the waters surrounding Taiwan in the coming days, with details of \u201cadditional important drills\u201d to be released in the near future.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c[People\u2019s Republic of China] announcing air-naval live-fire drills around Taiwan is self-evidently apparent that they seek a cross-strait resolution by force instead of peaceful means,\u201d Taiwan\u2019s Ministry of National Defense said in a <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MoNDefense\/status\/1554626323364007936?s=20&#038;t=E13yz30mrBbPoVTLifo1ZA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">statement<\/a>. \u201cActivities around our territory are closely monitored by #ROCMND and, will meet our appropriate responses when needed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen also issued remarks on the matter during a Wednesday event with Pelosi, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.msn.com\/en-in\/news\/world\/taiwan-wont-back-down-continue-to-hold-line-of-defence-for-democracy-says-tsai-ing-wen-as-china-preps-military-drills\/ar-AA10fiLG\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">saying<\/a> Taiwan \u201cwill not back down\u201d and will \u201ccontinue to hold the line of defence for democracy\u201d in the face of \u201cheightened military threats\u201d from China.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"S2HmVFqNm0MUwNePASuJYJR7x6E8rzYBcQnU5f5GbdwBF1skKljWOZ2h1IhqC3dPQln9WouTaa8oCDEAtOc\"><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Chinese People&#8217;s Liberation Army (<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/PLA?src=hash&#038;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#PLA<\/a>) said it will launch a series of targeted military operations around <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/TaiwanIsland?src=hash&#038;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#TaiwanIsland<\/a> as U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi landed in China&#8217;s Taiwan region on Tuesday for a visit in disregard of China&#8217;s opposition. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ZkfSv24L3V\">pic.twitter.com\/ZkfSv24L3V<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 People&#8217;s Daily, China (@PDChina) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/PDChina\/status\/1554538698410233857?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 2, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>In addition to military activity, China has also begun ratcheting up its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.taiwannews.com.tw\/en\/news\/4614020\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">economic pressure<\/a> on Taiwan, with the communist country\u2019s General Administration of Customs expanding \u201cits trade blacklist to another 2,066 food products and over 100 food manufacturers\u201d and the Ministry of Commerce <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/livecoverage\/nancy-pelosi-taiwan-visit-china-us-tensions\/card\/china-suspends-natural-sand-exports-to-taiwan-Jcrk4q1MS8AcVryiBagi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">suspending<\/a> natural sand exports to the island. <\/p>\n<h2>U.S. Policy Toward Taiwan<\/h2>\n<p>While U.S. President Joe Biden, who <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2022\/07\/27\/biden-should-back-pelosis-taiwan-visit-instead-of-cowering-to-chinese-commies\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">previously insinuated<\/a> that Pelosi should avoid visiting Taiwan, has largely stayed mum on the subject, his administration has been at the forefront of reaffirming U.S. commitment to the status quo of relations between the two countries. During a press briefing with reporters on Monday, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby expressed such sentiments and asserted that the U.S. government does not \u201csupport Taiwan independence.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNothing has changed about our \u2018One China Policy,\u2019\u201d Kirby\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/news.yahoo.com\/kirby-says-u-doesn-t-193835830.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said<\/a>. \u201cWe have repeatedly said that we oppose any unilateral changes to the status quo from either side. We have said that we do not support Taiwan independence, and we have said that we expect cross-str[ait] differences to be resolved by peaceful means.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Following moves by President Jimmy Carter\u2019s administration to switch diplomatic recognition from the Republic of China (ROC) government in Taiwan to the People\u2019s Republic of China (PRC) government in Beijing in 1979, the United States has maintained a \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/asia\/east-asia\/a-timeline-of-milestones-in-relations-between-the-us-china-and-taiwan\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">One China Policy<\/a>,\u201d which acknowledges that the PRC is the sole government of China, as well as Beijing\u2019s position that Taiwan belongs to China. The United States does not, however, recognize the PRC\u2019s claims to territorial sovereignty over Taiwan.<\/p>\n<p>While formal diplomatic ties between America and Taiwan were officially terminated in 1979, the U.S. Congress passed the <a href=\"https:\/\/china.usc.edu\/taiwan-relations-act-1979\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Taiwan Relations Act<\/a> that same year, which established informal relations between the two nations as a means \u201cto help maintain peace, security, and stability in the Western Pacific\u201d and \u201cpromote the foreign policy of the United States by authorizing the continuation of commercial, cultural, and other relations between the people of the United States and the people on Taiwan.\u201d The legislation has since guided U.S. policy toward Taiwan, including America\u2019s commitment to selling the island military equipment to help defend itself.<\/p>\n<h2>What\u2019s the Endgame?<\/h2>\n<p>In light of Pelosi\u2019s visit, China\u2019s increasingly aggressive behavior toward Taiwan has reignited discussions among American foreign policy analysts and political figures about the United States\u2019 long-term policy toward Taiwan and whether the U.S. should militarily intervene whenever China decides to invade the island.<\/p>\n<p>Proponents of American intervention in the Taiwan Strait will often cite a variety of economic and security issues to justify their position, ranging from Taiwan\u2019s position as a <a href=\"https:\/\/asia.nikkei.com\/Business\/Tech\/Semiconductors\/Taiwan-s-share-of-contract-chipmaking-to-hit-66-this-year-report\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">major producer of microchips<\/a>, to the island\u2019s critical location in the first island chain and proximity to U.S. allies such as South Korea and Japan. Opponents will alternatively rationalize that a long, drawn-out conflict favors Beijing given the geographical advantage China has to Taiwan and that such a clash between two nuclear powers would be a waste of American lives and resources.<\/p>\n<p>Thus the United States\u2019 long-term policy toward Taiwan remains in limbo. While America\u2019s policy of strategic ambiguity has allowed U.S. political leadership to expand unofficial relations with Taiwan, it has simultaneously kept the American public in the dark about whether they should be preparing to send their sons and daughters off to war. Moreover, such equivocation has also proven detrimental for the Taiwanese people, who are left wondering if America will come to their rescue once China launches a siege upon their homeland. <\/p>\n<p>One way or another, the United States is going to have to make a call on defending Taiwan. Regardless of what that decision might be, the current policy of sending American representatives to Taiwan with no clear, long-term strategy on how to approach Sino-Taiwanese relations is nothing more than political theater \u2014 and unjust to both American and Taiwanese people. <\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\" \/>\n<p>\n  Shawn Fleetwood is an intern at The Federalist and a graduate of the University of Mary Washington. He also serves as a state content writer for Convention of States Action and his work has been featured in numerous outlets, including RealClearPolitics, RealClearHealth, and Conservative Review. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnFleetwood<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-comments mt-30 mt-sm-60\">\n<div class=\"article-comments-container d-flex flex-column align-items-center py-30\">\n    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"110\" height=\"106\" src=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/fdrlst-mark.svg\" class=\"img-fluid mb-20\" alt=\"The Federalist logo eagle mark\" \/>    <\/p>\n<p>Unlock commenting by joining the Federalist Community.<\/p>\n<p>    <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/plans\/pricing\/\" class=\"btn btn-on-white\">Subscribe<\/a>  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Following weeks of public speculation, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi arrived in Taiwan on Tuesday night, confirming previous reports that the California Democrat would be traveling to the East Asian nation<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":539,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1587971","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1587971","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/539"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1587971"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1587971\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1587971"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1587971"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1587971"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}