The Reagan and Bush governments share three concrete beliefs on dealing with China.
First, holding fast to their stance and even ignoring the Chinese leaders' endless complaints. Bush gave full play to this maneuvering strategy during his Beijing trip. It is predictable that Beijing will not bother the US again in regard to the Taiwan issue before Bush steps down.
Second, trying to improve relations with China, giving Bei-jing face and making it feel valued. In the Reagan era, US navy ships made port calls in China for the first time since the two nations established diplomatic ties, a visit that made China believe bilateral relations were improving. This time, Bush chose to visit China on the 30th anniversary of the late president Richard Nixon's China tour, deliberately highlighting the symbolic meaning of his visit, giving Beijing face and some room for imagination.
Third, stressing mutual benefit and not making concessions easily. US anti-terrorism policies after the Sept. 11 incident serve as a typical example. The US certainly needs China's backing on these policies, but the Bush administration further emphasized that terrorist acts also affect China's national interests. Therefore, the US has no need to bargain away Taiwan in exchange for China's support.
A similar strategy is reflected in its policy toward North Korea. The Bush government believes that stability in the Korean Peninsula is also in China's interests. The US and China, as a result, should cooperate in every regard to prevent North Korea's detrimental acts.
It is worth noting that the US-China-Taiwan security structure has changed, strengthening Bush's viewpoints and making him do what he did in Beijing. For Tai-wan, the next step should be to stabilize and consolidate its status in the US-China-Taiwan triangular relations through US support.
Arthur Ding is director of Research Division III at the Institute of International Relations of National Chengchi University.
Translated by Jackie Lin
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