Trump’s Legacies And Actions Toward Taiwan – OpEd

By

Relations between the United States, China, and Taiwan have been uncertain since US President Donald Trump won his second term, putting both parties on a tightrope. In a statement, Trump said that if Taiwan wants more protection from the US, it should pay more. 

Through the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), the US committed to securing Taiwan by sending military packages while maintaining a stable relationship with China. Yet Trump undermined this commitment. In his first period, he continued sending a massive number of military packages to Taiwan, sending more than US$18 billion, which was colossal than Barack Obama’s first period. Furthermore, the Pentagon also reported the US Navy transited more than six times in the Taiwan Strait, even though it was an international sea. Even though the Pentagon believed that the transit was prominent in maintaining stability and peace, it was raising China’s fury. 

Ahead of his second period as a president, Trump stated Taiwan must pay more to defend its territory, which impacted the decreasing stock market. His statement did not align with the US interests in Taiwan. Since 1979, US presidents have implemented a “strategic ambiguity” policy, which means avoiding Taiwan’s independence and China’s invasion of Taiwan. Through Trump’s statement, it could implicate the US’s stance. On the other hand, he will increase 200 per cent of China’s imports if it invades Taiwan in the upcoming years. 

Nevertheless, instability and uncertainty are two words that could describe the situation in the Taiwan Strait. It depends on how Taiwan and China communicate and how the US should act. The tension will probably amplify in the coming years when the Pentagon forecasts that China could invade Taiwan in 2027 if the parties cannot reduce the tension. 

The US should be vigorous in this part, aiming for a stable situation in the region. President Obama’s Pivot to Asia policy could be an example to Trump. The policy was beneficial for the United States in deterring provocative actions by China. In the South China Sea issue, where China has claimed all the water through illegal claims, the United States committed to being neutral and firm in rejecting the claim. In the ASEAN Regional Forum meeting in Vietnam in mid-2010, Secretary of State Hilary Clinton reaffirmed the US interest in freedom of navigation and drove collaborative ties among disputed ties.  

Foreign Policy released an article, “The Rise and the Fall of the Economic Pivot to Asia,” showing how the United States has disengaged from Asia since President Trump pulled out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which was Obama’s idea to “compete” with China.

Trump failed to uphold the US’s Taiwan tradition and practice. Before being inaugurated, Trump had a phone call with President Tsai Ing-wen. Furthermore, instead of respecting the notion of the One China Policy, Trump questioned it, expressing his rootless stance and undermining the 1994 Taiwan Review in the Clinton era. Unlike Trump, President Joe Biden reaffirmed the One China Policy by saying the US would not support Taiwan’s independence and censured China’s provocative action toward Taiwan. Yet, it would not change anything due to the increasing number of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) activities around Taiwan. 

The tensions between these parties are a long journey to solve, and Trump should bring the US back on track. Although Trump’s slogan is “Free and Open Indo-Pacific,” it is not ample to strengthen the US’s conviction to other countries. Hence, Trump’s advisers should perceive China’s potential invasion as threatening national interest. 

Trump should reconsider his approach to Taiwan, incredibly limiting sending and approving military packages. Congress is also key to supporting Trump’s decision. He should also believe that the tensions could be reduced and ended by communicating peacefully with Xi and Lai Ching-te to build trust. 

M Habib Pashya

M Habib Pashya is a Master's student at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM). His research focuses on China's foreign policy, Indonesia's foreign policy, and US-Taiwan-China relations.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *