Perhaps most important is the US commitment to Taiwan's defense. Many describe the US defense commitment toward Taiwan as ambiguous. But in April 2001, President George W. Bush stunned the world when he was asked if the US had an obligation to defend Taiwan. Bush replied, "We do, and the Chinese must understand." Then, when asked in a follow-up question if this meant with the full force of the US military, the president replied that the US would do "whatever it takes" to help Taiwan defend itself.
To be sure, the US and Taiwan have moved closer together. Some claim that US-Taiwan relations have never been better. But will we see more changes in US-Taiwan relations? The answer to that question is "yes." People in Taiwan want to upgrade the names of their representative offices. This will eventually hap-pen. Also, expect to see more high-ranking US officials visiting Taiwan and more Taiwanese military officers coming to the US to study.
And we will certainly see the US become increasingly supportive of Taiwan's membership in the World Health Organization. After all, no reasonable person can oppose Taiwan's participation in this world body. So, it is likely that bilateral ties will continue to strengthen in the future. After all, this has been the trend for over two decades.
Dennis Hickey is university fellow in research and professor of political science at Southwest Missouri State University.
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