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Report on US-Taiwan ties breaks new ground

The report Strengthening Freedom in Asia: A Twenty-First Century Agenda for the US-Taiwan Partnership, released by the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research and Armitage International, makes a breakthrough on previous frames of thought on cross-strait policy and employs a new model for dealing with cross-strait and US-Taiwan relations.

The report has several key points. Taiwan is important in and of itself and not just in relation to the US-China conflict. Based on this foundation, parallel relations should be formed between the US and China and between the US and Taiwan, rather than making Taiwan subservient to US-China interaction; structural factors that hurt US-Taiwan relations should be overcome rather than have individual players take responsibility; and a positive agenda for developing possibilities in US-Taiwan relations should be generated.

The report considers Taiwan's contribution to the US from a global angle rather than adopting the traditional practice of "old China hands" comparing Taiwan with China. It therefore illuminates surprising facts, such as Taiwan having a bigger population than Australia, an economy significantly larger than Hong Kong and Singapore, and even that Kaohsiung port's annual volume exceeds any port in Japan or South Korea.

In addition, the report suggests that Taiwan is a "responsible stakeholder" in core US issues such as the war against terror, nonproliferation and humanitarian aid.

Hence, from the perspective of technology, trade, the economy, democratic values and the security of the Asian region, Taiwan's resources and power are sufficient proof of its importance to the US.

Support for the development of parallel relations reflects the ideology of Washington's pan-Asian faction, which espouses Asia policy as a strengthening of alliances. This is distinct from the contention of "old China hands" that Asia be dealt with through negotiation between the US and China. This report promotes the former: a mechanism inclusive of the US, Japan, China and Taiwan in coordinating US-Taiwan relations.

The report also specifically points to the effects of the US cooperating with China in resolving Asian problems over the last few years -- that is, applying pressure on Taipei to prevent any action that Beijing may consider provocative -- which resulted in treating Taiwan as a problem, or a provocateur, rather than as a partner.

This implies that although the US may see Taiwan as a problem, the fact may not be related to Taiwan's behavior so much as it is to the political framework of US-China ties.

Because Taiwan is seen as a negative rather than positive factor in US-China relations, the report suggests that Washington leans toward punishing and sanctioning Taipei when confronting the uncertainties of Taiwanese democracy.

However, it says, the US has rarely achieved the results it has hoped for. By shaming and isolating Taiwan, the US not only destroys stability in the Taiwan Strait but also reduces Washington's influence over Taipei.

It also suggests that this environment helps to propagate the myth in mainstream political discourse that a change in parties would make things better.

"Old China hands" in the US and Taiwan will attack the policy suggestions in this report.

But the report's groundbreaking approach is important because it can prevent US policymakers from falling into the same old rut.

Lai I-chung is deputy director of the Democratic Progressive Party's Department of International Affairs.

Translated by Angela Hong
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