President William Lai’s (賴清德) administration should not hold any fantasies that the administration of US President Donald Trump would unconditionally support Taiwan’s bid to expand its role in the global high-technology supply chain, the National Policy Foundation said yesterday.
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT)-affiliated think tank said that while it welcomed the US’ continued support for Taiwanese policies, including deepening Taipei-Washington relations, it warned that the Lai administration should not lean heavily on the US, as it could negatively affect the trilateral Taiwan-US-China relationship.
While national security officials in the Trump administration are anti-China hawks, Washington would still prioritize maintaining US interests, the think tank said.
Photo: CNA
A US-China conflict would affect Taiwan’s development, and the Lai administration should be pragmatic about Taiwan-US ties instead of misleading the public by exaggerating how healthy the relationship is or become too full of itself, the foundation said.
Taiwan’s economy is small, open and highly reliant on international trade, it said.
The Lai administration cannot insist that its policies to develop the nation’s high-tech industries to become part of the global supply chain would receive unconditional US support, especially given the Trump administration’s inclination to impose tariffs on nations it views as competitors.
The think tank called on the Executive Yuan not to give up on opportunities to join international trade organizations, such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.
While the US has promised to support Taiwan’s ambitions to join or participate in international bodies, those efforts have yielded poor results, it said.
Taiwan’s foreign policies have caused the nation to lose 10 diplomatic allies in the eight years of former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), it said.
While Taiwanese welcome the Trump administration’s pledge to continue supporting Taipei’s efforts to join international bodies and offer tangible support to help retain Taiwan’s diplomatic allies, the Lai administration would face more opposition internationally if it does not improve cross-strait relations, the think tank said.
Taiwanese support maintaining defense spending, and continuing defense research and development, along with US arms sales that fit Taiwan’s needs, it said.
The Lai administration must understand that preparing for conflict and building defense capabilities are meant to maintain peace and prevent war, it said.
The think tank urged the Lai administration to facilitate cross-strait interactions, reduce hostility and clarify misunderstandings to avoid a cross-strait conflict.
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