US President Donald Trump, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth have each given their thoughts on Russia’s war with Ukraine. There are a few proponents of US skepticism in Taiwan taking advantage of developments to write articles claiming that the US would arbitrarily abandon Ukraine. The reality is that when one understands Trump’s negotiating habits, one sees that he brings up all variables of a situation prior to discussion, using broad negotiations to take charge. As for his ultimate goals and the aces up his sleeve, he wants to keep things vague for his opponents before negotiating.
Trump’s methods are the same as any debate expert. We need to wait for the negotiations conclusions to see what his ultimate plan is for Ukraine, not resort to writing articles about Trump’s deception strategies. The key in all this is that Trump wants to establish peace negotiations in each secondary theater because his fundamental strategy is to gather resources for the Indo-Pacific region and eliminate China’s threat to humanity. He will not throw away a key strategic area that allows him to put constraints on China. Taiwan will not be abandoned, instead, the US is going to up its bet.
Even with such support, the US has always aided partners who show initiative in self-defense — Taiwan cannot become a moocher. Thus, when Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party legislators were making massive and brutal budget cuts and freezes — including the military budget — President William Lai (賴清德) made a staunch proposal to raise national defense spending to 3 percent of GDP. Lai’s move was also meant to instill confidence and self-respect in Taiwanese. “Taiwan is a chess player, not a chess piece” in the grand game being played by global democracies to check China’s ambitions.
Lai’s resolve was immediately echoed by the US Department of State. In the past, the department’s Web site used to painfully describe the US-Taiwan relationship, saying, “we do not support Taiwan independence.” This was a holdover phrasing from the Cold War, when the US worked with China to keep the Soviet Union in check, while simultaneously remaining wary of China. Consequently, the US needed a means of curbing China — Taiwan became the nail that held China in place, forcing non-recognition of Taiwan’s true identity.
In the past, the US needed to uphold Taiwan’s existence, but did not wish to offend China. This resulted in the US unilaterally preserving Taiwan’s military and economic independence, yet officially denying its independence in the realm of foreign policy. It is no wonder the KMT continues to spout skepticism, asserting that Taiwan is merely a chess piece, because under its rule, Taiwan was literally just a pawn.
Today, Taiwan’s situation has evolved. Just days ago, the US Department of State deleted the phrase “we do not support Taiwan independence” from its Web site. While this looks like a small change, it is by no means insignificant. It represents the recognition of Taiwan as a country with a legitimate identity — a “chess player” rather than a “chess piece” drifting around a board. This move by the US is confirmation of Lai’s assertions and views.
Lai’s wide-ranging and farsighted leadership possesses a high degree of consensus with US policy and the exact same strategic goal — to topple the threat posed to humanity by an authoritarian, dictatorial China. Taiwanese do not need to drown in pro-China discourse meant to instill skepticism of the US or Trump, nor the media’s daily following of the Trump administration. In the second Trump era, all Taiwan needs to do is focus on strengthening itself. Those who help themselves receive help from others — that is the guiding principle of this Trump era.
Tommy Lin is president of the Formosa Republican Association and the Taiwan United Nations Alliance.
Translated by Tim Smith
When former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) first took office in 2016, she set ambitious goals for remaking the energy mix in Taiwan. At the core of this effort was a significant expansion of the percentage of renewable energy generated to keep pace with growing domestic and global demands to reduce emissions. This effort met with broad bipartisan support as all three major parties placed expanding renewable energy at the center of their energy platforms. However, over the past several years partisanship has become a major headwind in realizing a set of energy goals that all three parties profess to want. Tsai
An elderly mother and her daughter were found dead in Kaohsiung after having not been seen for several days, discovered only when a foul odor began to spread and drew neighbors’ attention. There have been many similar cases, but it is particularly troubling that some of the victims were excluded from the social welfare safety net because they did not meet eligibility criteria. According to media reports, the middle-aged daughter had sought help from the local borough warden. Although the warden did step in, many services were unavailable without out-of-pocket payments due to issues with eligibility, leaving the warden’s hands
There is a modern roadway stretching from central Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland in the Horn of Africa, to the partially recognized state’s Egal International Airport. Emblazoned on a gold plaque marking the road’s inauguration in July last year, just below the flags of Somaliland and the Republic of China (ROC), is the road’s official name: “Taiwan Avenue.” The first phase of construction of the upgraded road, with new sidewalks and a modern drainage system to reduce flooding, was 70 percent funded by Taipei, which contributed US$1.85 million. That is a relatively modest sum for the effect on international perception, and
At the end of last year, a diplomatic development with consequences reaching well beyond the regional level emerged. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Israel’s recognition of Somaliland as a sovereign state, paving the way for political, economic and strategic cooperation with the African nation. The diplomatic breakthrough yields, above all, substantial and tangible benefits for the two countries, enhancing Somaliland’s international posture, with a state prepared to champion its bid for broader legitimacy. With Israel’s support, Somaliland might also benefit from the expertise of Israeli companies in fields such as mineral exploration and water management, as underscored by Israeli Minister of
RSS