US Strategic Manipulation of Taiwan Independence
Published in Taiwan Times
(Taiwan) on 18 February 2025
by (link to original)
No matter what it’s called or what kind of constitutional system is in place, Taiwan currently exists independently of the People’s Republic of China. This should be the consensus of most people within and outside Taiwan. Although the future remains unknown, what is known is that the United States opposes any unilateral change to the status quo. In recent days, the website of the U.S. Department of State was updated. Wording about not supporting Taiwan independence was removed, and a statement was updated to emphasize U.S. rejection of coercion, sparking discussion. U.S. manipulation of Taiwan independence has been lax or tightly controlled depending on considerations of national interest. While there is no need to doubt the U.S., Taiwan should still be prepared to adapt at any time.
Objectively speaking, Donald Trump is not as friendly to Taiwan as he was the first time he was elected, even saying numerous times that Taiwan has stolen America’s chip business. As he moves to impose tariffs and other trade and economic policies indiscriminately on friend and foe alike, conversely, he has used a relatively mild approach toward hegemonic countries such as China and Russia as he seeks opportunities for negotiation. This has caused concern among no small number of countries, groups and political observers around the world.
On Feb. 13, the State Department updated the state of U.S.-Taiwan relations on its website, once again removing the line about not supporting Taiwan independence and writing about supporting Taiwan’s international participation in a stronger tone. It also mentioned Taiwan’s cooperation with the Pentagon. This change coincided with Trump’s brandishing of “reciprocal tariffs.” This is enough to show that the U.S. values Taiwan. Still, there is no denying that some of this was in consideration of its strategic response to China.
Within the international community, most people believe that Trump’s main target since his running for office the last time to taking office again this time has been China. Xi Jinping, however, declined to attend the inauguration ceremony, and China’s response to messages from the U.S. have ranged from tepid to a harder attitude of flat-out ignoring them. This has made Trump, who seeks to benefit through negotiations, increase his strategies to force China to give in. Taiwan will naturally be swept into the midst of those strategies.
This isn’t the first time the State Department has removed the wording about not supporting Taiwan independence. In May 2022, it was removed, only to be replaced after about a month. That was during the Biden administration, when Joe Biden had expressed strong support for protecting Taiwan. Now, however, Trump has been reelected, and his attitude toward Taiwan has changed since his first term. He is currently using Taiwan in his strategic manipulations of China, a fate from which Taiwan cannot escape; however, Taiwan’s existence is in the interest of the U.S. In the future, it is to be hoped that the U.S and Taiwan can talk and work together in dealing with China to make America great again and maintain stability.
Objectively speaking, Donald Trump is not as friendly to Taiwan as he was the first time he was elected, even saying numerous times that Taiwan has stolen America’s chip business. As he moves to impose tariffs and other trade and economic policies indiscriminately on friend and foe alike, conversely, he has used a relatively mild approach toward hegemonic countries such as China and Russia as he seeks opportunities for negotiation. This has caused concern among no small number of countries, groups and political observers around the world.
On Feb. 13, the State Department updated the state of U.S.-Taiwan relations on its website, once again removing the line about not supporting Taiwan independence and writing about supporting Taiwan’s international participation in a stronger tone. It also mentioned Taiwan’s cooperation with the Pentagon. This change coincided with Trump’s brandishing of “reciprocal tariffs.” This is enough to show that the U.S. values Taiwan. Still, there is no denying that some of this was in consideration of its strategic response to China.
Within the international community, most people believe that Trump’s main target since his running for office the last time to taking office again this time has been China. Xi Jinping, however, declined to attend the inauguration ceremony, and China’s response to messages from the U.S. have ranged from tepid to a harder attitude of flat-out ignoring them. This has made Trump, who seeks to benefit through negotiations, increase his strategies to force China to give in. Taiwan will naturally be swept into the midst of those strategies.
This isn’t the first time the State Department has removed the wording about not supporting Taiwan independence. In May 2022, it was removed, only to be replaced after about a month. That was during the Biden administration, when Joe Biden had expressed strong support for protecting Taiwan. Now, however, Trump has been reelected, and his attitude toward Taiwan has changed since his first term. He is currently using Taiwan in his strategic manipulations of China, a fate from which Taiwan cannot escape; however, Taiwan’s existence is in the interest of the U.S. In the future, it is to be hoped that the U.S and Taiwan can talk and work together in dealing with China to make America great again and maintain stability.
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