US senators on Friday last week introduced a bill aimed at supporting countries that maintain diplomatic ties with Taiwan amid mounting pressure from China. The US-Taiwan partnership in the Americas act seeks to “deepen coordination with Taiwan on diplomatic, development and economic engagement in the Western hemisphere.”
Taiwan has seven remaining diplomatic allies in Latin America and the Caribbean — Belize, Guatemala, Haiti, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines — all of which are facing growing pressure from China to “sever diplomatic relations with Taiwan by leveraging opaque development deals and backroom pressure,” the bill says. To counter that pressure, the act would require the US secretary of state to establish a mechanism to identify China-backed projects in those countries that pose strategic risks or involve nontransparent financing, and coordinate appropriate diplomatic or technical responses.
For the most part, Taiwan’s diplomatic allies have significant development needs. While many of the needs have been partially addressed by the International Cooperation and Development Fund (TaiwanICDF), the agency’s impact has been limited due to the dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The TaiwanICDF maintains a strong presence through its technical missions on the ground, but lacks the capacity to implement large-scale projects across multiple countries simultaneously, which is why its USAID partnership is so vital.
“USAID provided the hardware, and we provided the software,” TaiwanICDF deputy secretary-general Hsieh Pei-fen (謝佩芬) once said. Both agencies emphasized knowledge transfer and socioeconomic development, but USAID had far greater financial capacity to deliver large-scale assistance and infrastructure projects.
China’s “dollar diplomacy” continues to be a powerful tool in flipping Taiwan’s allies. Beijing often pledges to fund major infrastructure projects under its Belt and Road Initiative, but in reality, these countries frequently find themselves saddled with unsustainable debt, losing effective control over the assets built under the program. Several countries that have switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing — including Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador — are estimated to owe China hundreds of millions of dollars each. That trend is deeply concerning for the US, not only because of the economic implications, but also the potential military risks. If debtor countries are unable to repay loans, Beijing could demand access to key infrastructure, including ports, potentially allowing the Chinese military to gain a foothold alarmingly close to US shores.
Taiwanese leaders have consistently acknowledged that they cannot financially match China. With Washington scaling back international aid, the US also finds itself in a weakened position to directly compete with China. However, rather than attempting to match China’s spending, the US could prioritize soft-power initiatives that foster trust and resilience, such as the construction or renovation of schools and hospitals, or the deployment of smart technologies. Taiwan is already engaged in many such efforts, providing training programs and technology transfers in the region. Washington could encourage recognition of Taipei over Beijing through favorable tariff agreements and other economic incentives. It might also emulate Taiwan’s successful model of soft diplomacy by offering scholarships to Latin American students to study in the US, helping to build lasting educational and cultural ties.
It is imperative that the government continue to emphasize to its diplomatic allies that switching recognition to Beijing could lead them down a path of economic dependency and authoritarian influence — one that could ultimately undermine their long-term development and sovereignty.
Many foreigners, particularly Germans, are struck by the efficiency of Taiwan’s administration in routine matters. Driver’s licenses, household registrations and similar procedures are handled swiftly, often decided on the spot, and occasionally even accompanied by preferential treatment. However, this efficiency does not extend to all areas of government. Any foreigner with long-term residency in Taiwan — just like any Taiwanese — would have encountered the opposite: agencies, most notably the police, refusing to accept complaints and sending applicants away at the counter without consideration. This kind of behavior, although less common in other agencies, still occurs far too often. Two cases
In a summer of intense political maneuvering, Taiwanese, whose democratic vibrancy is a constant rebuke to Beijing’s authoritarianism, delivered a powerful verdict not on China, but on their own political leaders. Two high-profile recall campaigns, driven by the ruling party against its opposition, collapsed in failure. It was a clear signal that after months of bitter confrontation, the Taiwanese public is demanding a shift from perpetual campaign mode to the hard work of governing. For Washington and other world capitals, this is more than a distant political drama. The stability of Taiwan is vital, as it serves as a key player
Yesterday’s recall and referendum votes garnered mixed results for the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). All seven of the KMT lawmakers up for a recall survived the vote, and by a convincing margin of, on average, 35 percent agreeing versus 65 percent disagreeing. However, the referendum sponsored by the KMT and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) on restarting the operation of the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant in Pingtung County failed. Despite three times more “yes” votes than “no,” voter turnout fell short of the threshold. The nation needs energy stability, especially with the complex international security situation and significant challenges regarding
Most countries are commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II with condemnations of militarism and imperialism, and commemoration of the global catastrophe wrought by the war. On the other hand, China is to hold a military parade. According to China’s state-run Xinhua news agency, Beijing is conducting the military parade in Tiananmen Square on Sept. 3 to “mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.” However, during World War II, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) had not yet been established. It
RSS