On Dec. 2, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) called US president-elect Donald Trump, the first direct contact between a Taiwanese president and a US president or president-elect since the two nations severed official diplomatic relations, shocking both Beijing and China experts and diplomats in the US and around the world.
Even former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger, who played a major role in the US’ decision to terminate official relations with Taiwan and was in Beijing at the time of the call, did not foresee it.
Trump will be a highly unpredictable president with no baggage. Although his exact intentions remain unknown, the telephone call marked an important first step for Taiwan in its efforts to collaborate with the US and counter China.
After the call, Trump referred to Tsai as “the president of Taiwan,” directly challenging the long-standing “one China” policy. Trump’s remarks were received with widespread enthusiasm both in Taiwan and abroad, as calling Taiwan “Taiwan” has been taboo for far too long.
The simple fact that Taiwan is Taiwan has for years been deliberately distorted by US politicians, whose disregard for the Taiwanese public’s feelings has resulted in this reaction against traditional politics and hence the election of Trump. Now, this new political paradigm is spreading from the US to an increasing number of countries around the world.
It is this desire for political change that has opened up new possibilities for Taiwan. In a way, the telephone call between Tsai and Trump has provided an opportunity for the nation to elevate its status in the international community and develop a new and more equal relationship with Washington.
Of course, Taiwan still has a long way to go before it can achieve such goals, as ultimately Trump cares more about the US’ economic interests, countering China’s economic influence and quitting the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) led by US President Barack Obama.
This new situation, with Taiwan being used as leverage by the US and China against each other, requires the Tsai administration to make comprehensive adjustments to its economic policy, including its “new southbound policy” and its plans to join the TPP, and use that to attach Taiwan’s interests to the new focus of the US’ international relations and develop Taipei’s diplomatic relations with the US.
If Taiwan wants to control the potential political risk that comes with cooperating with a Trump administration and make sure that Taiwan improves its relations with the US at a sustainable cost, the Tsai administration must find a way to negotiate with Trump, who has tended to play his cards close to his chest; his visions, policies and promises are often inscrutable.
If Tsai succeeds, Taiwan might be able to find a way to bypass the “Kissinger curse” — the “one China” policy — that has plagued Taiwan for almost 40 years, and perhaps improve its diplomatic relations with other nations.
Chan Chang-chuan is associate dean of National Taiwan University’s College of Public Health.
Translated by Tu Yu-an
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