Despite a good cross-strait relationship, Taiwan in the short run is anxious about the upcoming elections and in the long run is concerned about the respective rise and decline of China and the US’ influence on the country, said Brad Glosserman, the executive director of the Pacific Forum at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank on foreign policy.
He added that all of Asia is beginning to worry that “the balance of power in the region is shifting in China’s favor.”
Glosserman said in his recent writings that while the possibility of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) coming to power again has some people worried, it does not mean that those who are worried favor the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT).
In the long term, China’s growth as well as developments in the cross-strait relationship have deepened Taiwan’s fear of being absorbed by China, Glosserman said.
He added that although the cross-strait Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) has bolstered Taiwan’s economy and made Taiwan a portal through which the world could enter China, “continual integration [of cross-strait relations] could turn that bridge into a trap, giving Beijing too much leverage and influence over Taiwan.”
Analysts in Beijing have already said that if the DPP is elected into office next year there is a possibility that Beijing could put the screws on the benefits it affords Taiwan, Glosserman said.
“Rising Chinese influence is the counterpoint to a perception of shrinking US power and influence,” Glosserman said, adding that Taiwan is worried that such a decline might prompt Washington to trade Taiwan for better Sino-US relations.
These worries have been heard in other parts of the world too, he added.
Since the start of the financial meltdown, the worry that Taiwan would be cast aside by the US also permeates Asia. Officials are concerned that financial factors would cause the US to decrease its military presence in Asia and subsequently tone down its promise of protection to its allies in the region, Glosserman said.
However, Glosserman does not agree that the US is on the decline, adding that as China grows stronger, so will the US, and the US would never decrease its military presence in the Asia-Pacific region.
The US’ allies should more actively convey to Washington their desire for a continued US presence in Asia and further strengthen their ties with the US, Glosserman said.
He added that everyone in the region should further strengthen the acknowledgement that they all share the burden of regional peace and security.
In order to correct the myth of a shift in Sino-US power in Asia, there should be practical evaluations of the two nations’ power, listing their assets and capabilities, Glosserman said.
Such a process would be able to turn the tide on the perception that the US is on the decline that has taken root both in the US and in Taiwan, Glosserman said.
Translated by Jake Chung, Staff Writer
NETWORK-MAPPING PROJECT: The database contains 170 detailed files of Taiwanese politicians and about 23 million records of household registration data in Taiwan China has developed a network-mapping project targeting political figures and parties in Taiwan to monitor public opinion during elections and to craft tailored influence campaigns aimed at dividing Taiwanese society, according to documents leaked by Chinese technology firm GoLaxy (中科天璣). The documents, collected by Taipei-based Doublethink Lab, showed a database was specifically created to gather detailed information on Taiwanese political figures, including their political affiliations, job histories, birthplaces, residences, education, religion and a brief biography about them. Several notable Taiwanese politicians are in the database, including President William Lai (賴清德), former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍),
RECOGNITION: Former Fijian prime minister Mahendra Chaudhry said that Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy serves as a stabilizing force in the Indo-Pacific region Taiwan can lead the unification of the Chinese people, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former Polish president Lech Walesa said in Taipei yesterday, adding that as the world order is changing, peaceful discussion would find good solutions, and that the use of force and coercion would always fail. Walesa made the remarks during his keynote address at a luncheon of the Yushan Forum in Taipei, titled “Indo-Pacific Partnership Prospects: Taiwan’s Values, Technology and Resilience,” organized by the Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Walesa said that he had been at the forefront of a big peaceful revolution and “if
North Korea tested nuclear-capable rocket launchers, state media reported yesterday, a day after Seoul detected the launch of about 10 ballistic missiles. The test comes after South Korean and US forces launched their springtime military drills, due to run until Thursday. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Saturday oversaw the testing of the multiple rocket launcher system (MRLS), the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. The test involved 12 600mm-caliber ultra-precision multiple rocket launchers and two artillery companies, it said. Kim said the drill gave Pyongyang’s enemies, within the 420km striking range, a sense of “uneasiness” and “a deep understanding
UPGRADED MISSILE: The Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology is reportedly to conduct a live-fire test of the Hsiung Feng III anti-ship missile on Thursday next week The US Army is planning to build new facilities to boost explosives production and strengthen its supply chain, a move aimed at addressing munitions shortages and supporting obligations to partners including Taiwan, Ukraine and Israel, Defense News reported. The army has issued a sources sought notice for a proposed Center of Excellence at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky, the report said. The facility would serve as a hub within the US industrial base for the production of key military explosives, including research department explosives (RDX) and high melting explosives (HMX), while also supporting research and development of next-generation materials. The proposed
RSS