The dynamics of Taiwan-US relations has changed as both sides are currently not a priority on each other’s agenda, and a reversal of Taiwan’s recent engagement with China is unlikely, a US academic said yesterday.
Robert Sutter, a professor at George Washington University, made the remarks via a teleconference hosted by the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT).
Sutter added that eroding US support was one of three sets of factors that would ultimately determine Taiwan’s future, along with China’s ever-growing strength and Taiwan’s inherent weakness.
The decline in US support, which has received little attention according to Sutter, is related to Taipei’s rapprochement with Beijing, as well as the fracturing of the Taiwanese lobby in Washington and the increasing cost of US intervention in Taiwanese contingencies.
For the US, China is currently much more important than Taiwan, he said.
Countries in the Asia-Pacific region will also be pleased to see a peaceful resolution between Taiwan and China, he said.
“Internationally, Taiwan recognizes that advances for Taiwan in world affairs now require Beijing’s permission or acquiescence, even on issues as uncontroversial as trade,” he added.
In contrast with calls from the governments of South Korea, Japan, ASEAN, India and other Asia-Pacific countries for the US to play a greater role in the region, he said Taiwan has maintained a low public profile and has been very “discreet” in its engagement with Washington.
And since current political trends of closer cross-strait engagement is so strong, Sutter said, Taiwan will not be able to “go back to the old way” even if there was a regime change.
Taiwan will have to continue its constructive engagement with China and should not go back to the 1995 to 2008 period, during which former presidents Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) and Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) left Taiwan with a “negative” legacy, he said.
Several Taiwanese academics disagreed, with Liu Fu-kuo (劉復國), a professor at National Chengchi University, saying that Taiwan does not ask for Chinese permission before making decisions.
Instead, he said, Taiwan has tried to initiate a “Track Two” communication channel through academic exchanges.
Edward Chen (陳一新) of Tamkang University called for more US support, saying that the lack of US assistance has left some with the impression that the US has abandoned Taiwan.
PRAISE: Japanese visitor Takashi Kubota said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists. The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies. Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927. Gouache is a water-based
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
A magnitude 4.1 earthquake struck eastern Taiwan's Hualien County at 2:23pm today, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA). The epicenter of the temblor was 5.4 kilometers northeast of Hualien County Hall, at a depth of 34.9 km, according to the CWA. The earthquake's intensity, which gauges the actual effect of a temblor, was the highest in Hualien County, where it measured 2 on Taiwan's 7-tier intensity scale. The quake also measured an intensity of 1 in Yilan county, Taichung, Nantou County, Changhua County and Yunlin County, the CWA said. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
OFF-TARGET: More than 30,000 participants were expected to take part in the Games next month, but only 6,550 foreign and 19,400 Taiwanese athletes have registered Taipei city councilors yesterday blasted the organizers of next month’s World Masters Games over sudden timetable and venue changes, which they said have caused thousands of participants to back out of the international sporting event, among other organizational issues. They also cited visa delays and political interference by China as reasons many foreign athletes are requesting refunds for the event, to be held from May 17 to 30. Jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, the games have been rocked by numerous controversies since preparations began in 2020. Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said yesterday that new measures by
RSS