It is a seductive, but ultimately unconvincing and dangerous argument.Īn unconditional presidential security pledge would leave America exceptionally vulnerable to calculations made outside Washington. Some, drawing parallels to China’s intervention in the Korean War, have long argued that ambiguity only invites China to test America’s commitment, while clarity will deter China and keep the peace. Some policymakers and analysts want the United States to declare unambiguously that it will defend Taiwan against a Chinese military attack. This makes the growing chorus to scrap it all the more perplexing. military capabilities, has kept Taiwan secure during a decades-long journey from authoritarianism to democracy, respect for human rights, and rule of law. President Donald Trump captured the essence of the policy in August when he said, “ China knows what I’m gonna do,” but declined to be more specific. As a result, the United States should work with allies and partners on diplomatic and economic initiatives that signal international support for Taiwan.įor decades, the United States has helped maintain peace in the Taiwan Straits through a policy known as “strategic ambiguity.” The idea is to convince China of American resolve without spelling out exactly what it would do in a crisis. If anything is lacking, it is any sense in Beijing that the rest of the world will support Washington in defending Taiwan. If safeguarding Taiwan and its way of life - and associated American interests - is the goal, then American policymakers already have all the tools they need in the Taiwan Relations Act. Clarity would actually detract from America’s own decision-making autonomy and leave Taiwan less secure. Some in Washington argue that giving Taiwan an explicit security guarantee is the best way to deter China and defend Taiwan. Taiwan is a liberal democracy, and its people want to keep it that way. Finally, there is a simple moral imperative.
Second, Taiwan’s geography along China’s first island chain and its technological prowess make it an asset far too valuable to cede to Beijing, which is dominated by forces hostile to America’s role in the region. Abandoning Taiwan would send a shock wave through American security alliances and would mark the end of U.S. Taiwan is the classic canary in the coal mine. First, an unanswered Chinese attack on Taiwan would destabilize the entire region. This has been American policy for decades, under Republicans and Democrats, for several reasons. It is in the interest of the United States to counter this pressure and to be prepared to help defend Taiwan with military force if it ever comes to it.
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