The U.S. Needs to Give Up Using Taiwan to “Contain” China

This year, repeated interaction by Sino-U.S. high officials has expressed a strong message to the world: Beijing and Washington, D.C. are seeking unprecedented tacit cooperation in military, economic and counter-terrorism actions with the hope that it will result in a win-win situation. Beijing believes that America has highly advanced technology, a large market and a culturally developed society, and that if China wants to improve, it cannot lose this American partner and market. The White House is aware that China is developing quickly, its overall national strength is growing rapidly, its international influence is increasing every day and its impact on the recovery of the American economy cannot be underestimated. America’s mainstream media recently eagerly called on the White House to give up the burden that is Taiwan and the old notion of using Taiwan as a means to “contain” China, claiming that by doing so the U.S. can obtain even more benefits from China and the world.

At the beginning of this year, famous pianist Lang Lang played the theme song “My Home Country,” from the movie “Battle of Triangle Hill,” for Hu Jintao and President Obama at the White House, which triggered a discussion. China’s People’s Liberation Army’s choir was also invited to perform at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., where they sang “Ode to the Motherland” and received a warm welcome. The harmonious melodies of both military choirs performing together set up a new bridge of friendship and cooperation between the U.S. and China. According to a disclosure from White House officials, improved relations between China and Taiwan are beneficial to America’s interests and America is committed to getting rid of the tension between the two. The U.S. has been held hostage for many years by the Taiwan Independence forces, which has caused huge losses for both China and the U.S. Currently, the U.S. has an active and stable relationship with China, which has already become the main theme of the chorus.

The “Taiwan Relations Act” is a poisonous arrow

America has been sly regarding the Taiwan problem. First, Obama signed a “One-China” joint statement with Hu Jintao in Beijing. Then, in the blink of an eye, he was at the White House signing an arms deal with Taiwan that would include 66 F-16 fighter jets and other advanced weapons, as well as openly promising to continue implementing the “Taiwan Relations Act.” After Obama signed the arms sale order, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates expressed the view that as long as China’s government “continues to expand its military” the U.S. will continue selling weapons to Taiwan. The “Taiwan Relations Act” is rude and unreasonable. It makes maintaining U.S.-Taiwan relations a domestic law and its main purpose is to have Taiwan be Washington, D.C.’s “ATM.”

In the past decade, the U.S. has sold large quantities of weapons to Taiwan, making a huge profit. However, in reality, each sale has caused a strain on Sino-U.S. relations, influencing the economic cooperation and cultural exchange between the two superpowers and causing America to lose even more. The White House has repeated the same song over and over again: Support the one China policy, but reunification needs to happen through peaceful means; if China attempts to use force and not dialogue, America will provide Taiwan with even more military supplies. According to the “Taiwan Relations Act,” when America established an association with Taiwan, it attempted to “justifiably” continue to control Taiwan. The “Taiwan Relations Act” has already become an invisible poison arrow that has severely hurt the hearts of China’s people.

A small loss will become greater

Since entering the 21st century, America’s counter-terrorism efforts have caused it to be sucked into two wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, which led to the collapse of its economy and a tamer United States. Annual trade between China and the U.S. has surpassed three hundred billion dollars; China is still America’s number one major creditor, holding over a trillion dollars of American debt. If the U.S. continues to use its old ideals to deal with Sino-U.S. relations, it will be unable to engage in effective cooperation with Beijing and America’s economic recovery will become even more difficult. Henry Kissinger once warned Washington politicians: “Treating China as an enemy increases the likelihood that it will become one.” Although America may receive great benefits from Taiwan, compared to China the benefits are only a drop in the bucket. If the U.S. refuses to get out because of the few benefits, it will lose even more.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently received Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan with a Chinese saying, stating that developing Sino-U.S. relations requires “cutting paths through mountains and building bridges over water.”* U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said that China and the U.S. ought to “enjoy blessings and endure misfortunes together,”* which shows that Washington is aware of the importance of a relationship with Beijing and hopes to continue to develop it. America’s debt has already reached 14.29 trillion U.S. dollars, surpassing the legal limit and leaving the White House facing the risk of debt default. If Congress does not raise the debt ceiling, the American economy will face disastrous consequences. Regardless of what is said, the debt is Washington’s own affair, but if China does not watch after America, the economic recovery will be even more difficult.

*Editor’s Note: This quote, accurately translated, could not be verified.