Still in Its Embrace, Taiwan Cannot Shake the Trump Administration

Andrew Wheeler, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency in the Trump administration, is set to visit Taiwan next month to discuss cooperation on issues such as marine protection, air quality and children’s health. This “graduation trip,” insisted upon by an outgoing official who wants to discuss Taiwan-U.S. cooperation, has more superficial than substantive meaning. Although it is good for the Tsai administration, as it reaffirms the friendship between the U.S. and Taiwan, Taiwan cannot shake off a clinging Donald Trump.

U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar and Department of State Undersecretary Keith Krach visited Taiwan in August and September, respectively. At the time, the visits afforded the Tsai administration an opportunity to convince the Taiwanese people that Trump was the friendliest U.S. president to Taiwan in history. This kind of “friendship,” however, has yet to pass the test. Since Azar left, the vaccine that everyone hoped for has yet to materialize. Instead, the Tsai administration surprisingly announced the importation of American pork containing ractopamine. The national economic interests the Tsai administration repeatedly talked about were in exchange for a tribute to former President Lee Teng-hui by Azar; there was no economic discussion about Taiwan and the U.S. with the U.S. trade representative.

The Tsai administration does not admit to gambling on the outcome of the U.S. election and continues to stress that it has maintained positive interactions with the Democratic Party. However, the recent words and actions of the outgoing Trump administration unfortunately might become a burden for the Tsai administration.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, “Taiwan has not been part of China.” Our ecstatic Ministry of Foreign Affairs immediately thanked Pompeo for his support and stressed that the Republic of China is indeed a sovereign and independent nation. Pompeo’s comments unexpectedly received pushback from the State Department, which stated that the U.S.'s One China policy is based on the Three Communiqués, the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances. While this policy differs from Beijing’s One China Principle, which gives China sovereignty over Taiwan, the U.S. has taken no position on Taiwan’s sovereignty.

The U.S.-Taiwan Economic Prosperity Partnership Dialogue, hosted by Washington, begins today. Although power in the U.S. will soon change hands in terms of political party, Taiwan’s attending representative, Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs C.C. Chen, remains optimistic and considers this a dialogue between governments. The event has also received support from Congress and industry. Yet we cannot hope that these talks will include bilateral or free trade agreements managed by the U.S. trade representative, or that whatever is discussed with Krach during this presidential transition period will be something substantial the Biden administration will implement.

And now, once again, it was announced suddenly that Wheeler will visit Taiwan in December. Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu said that the visit is a result of his invitation, extended at the end of last year but postponed due to the pandemic. He further stated that the visit symbolizes the friendly relations between Taiwan and the U.S. and will lift the spirits of the Taiwanese people. The problem remains, however: In an outgoing administration, Wheeler cannot represent the next U.S. administration. If Taiwan draws too much attention in these meetings with the Trump administration, it might anger the Democratic Party, which will soon take power. Wu, who should really be focusing on making the Taiwanese people happy right now, is nevertheless complaining that the pandemic has disrupted the Tsai administration’s domestic messaging. And the Trump administration, which cannot be shaken off, still must be faced.

During Trump’s time in office, the administration has made many friendly gestures toward Taiwan. In the past, the Democratic Progressive Party has continually emphasized all it has accomplished with the U.S. Now, however, Trump is refusing to admit defeat, and his administration’s officials seem to want to continue developing their friendly relations with the Tsai administration to prove that they still hold the power in America. This actually puts the Tsai administration in an impossible and awkward situation, and unfortunately, Taiwan will have to pay an even greater price for betting on the wrong team.