STST1001 Chapter Notes - Chapter week 5-9: Area Denial Weapon, Brendan Taylor, Ahrar Al-Sham
STST1001 readings
WEEK 5
Bernkopf Tucker, Nancy and Bonnie Glaser. ‘Should the United States
Abandon Taiwan?’ The Washington Quarterly 34:4 (2011): 23-37.
Argument: The United States should neither abandon nor reduce its commitments to
Taiwan, but strengthen them.
long and often discordant history of dealings between Washington and Taipei, there
have been repeated calls for severing this uncomfortable and dangerous relationship.
Taiwan has been characterized as a strategic liability, an expensive diversion, and
most often, an obstacle to more important U.S.—China relations.
Taiwan remains the single issue which could spark war between the United States and
the People’s Republic of China,
Taiwan impedes improvement in U.S.—China relations because of suspicion and
mistrust. Beijing firmly believes that Washington seeks to keep the PRC weak and
divided to obstruct China’s rise. Meanwhile, Americans are adamant that resolution of
the cross-Strait impasse happen peacefully and with the assent of the people of
Taiwan,
China, therefore, is the most critical variable in determining future U.S. policy toward
Taiwan.
if anyone in the U.S. government thinks about severing ties with Taiwan, or
significantly reducing them, it is because of China.
good relations with the PRC will be vital in the new Pacific century.
whether sacrificing Taiwan would improve those relations,
whether conditions are ripe for such a determination, and
in what ways a change would affect other U.S. interests
what would sacrifice Taiwan gain?
trade Taiwan for normalization with Beijing facilitated a momentous improvement in
U.S.—China relations, setting a powerful precedent.2 To choose China over Taiwan
once again, it is asserted, could help Washington resolve differences with China over
maritime rights, nuclear proliferation, cyber security, and the uses of space.
Beijing has denied any desire to push the United States out of Asia
A decision to jettison Taiwan, or even cut back significantly on U.S. support, would
prove to an increasingly confident China that Washington has become weak,
vacillating, and unreliable
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Relying on the sacrifice of Taiwan to fulfill Chinese ambitions ignores more than
intentions, it also overlooks internal dynamics in China.
a U.S. sacrifice of Taiwan, while gratifying, could not thoroughly slake a continuing
need for Beijing to demonstrate its power.
Risks of conciliation over Taiwan
U.S. would incur serious costs should they seek to fix U.S. —China relations by
walking away from Taiwan.
TRA & Raegan’s 6 assurances
neither measure involved a legally binding expectation that Washington come
to Taiwan’s rescue-particularly if it requires the use of force-they do provide
for the supply of defensive weapons and maintaining a U.S. capability in the
region to help Taiwan
Various U.S. interests support continuing arms sales to, and close economic relations
with, an autonomous Taiwan. For instance, the U.S. defense industry profits from, and
so encourages, Taiwan’s weapons procurement.
US arms sales help Taiwan defend itself, strengthen morale among Taiwan’s
population, deter Beijing, insure Taipei has the confidence to negotiate with China
China has promised it would not station forces on Taiwan, use the island to project
power into the Pacific, interfere with critical commercial and military sea lanes, or
control Taiwan’s affairs apart from foreign and military relations.
Taiwan’s weakening US support
the TRA has become ‘‘outdated’’ and that the entire U.S.approach to the PRC requires
rethinking. ‘‘The solution,’’ Owensinsisted, ‘‘is to approach the U.S.—China
relationship not with hedging,competition or watchfulness, but withco-operation,
openness and trust.
‘‘Our involvement with Taiwan is a frequent point of contention with the Chinese,
particularly in respect to arms sales, and one that should be re-examined.’
the U.S. Congress, which was once a loud advocate of support for Taiwan, has
become much less voluble.
Old friends, unhappy that Taiwan has sought to improve relations with China, have
soured toward Taipei
Taiwan’s decision to cooperate with Beijing, rather than oppose the repressive regime.
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The House has affirmed that the TRA remains ‘‘the cornerstone of U.S. relations with
Taiwan,’’ and ‘‘Taiwan is one of our strongest allies in Asia.’
since Taiwan is ‘‘a strong democracy, a close trading partner, and an historic ally,’’ he
should make clear to Beijing that ‘‘the United States will support Taiwan’s security,
and continue to provide Taiwan with defensive arms.’’
Has the time come?
there are those who argue that changing conditions in Asia require new policies.
They are joined by those who deem Taiwan’s government derelict in self-defense, and
Taiwan’s people weak-willed and self-indulgent.
Taiwan’s President Ma Ying-jeou, for example, has pursued cross-Strait cooperation
with energy and determination, neglecting competing priorities such as defense,
domestic development, and relations with the United States.
To skeptics, it is Taiwan that has abandoned the United States, not Washington giving
up on Taipei.
U.S. officials have privately questioned Taiwan’s commitment to self-defense.
Most complain that Taiwan’s government and people are complacent about the threat
of a Chinese attack, count too much on a U.S.
Avoiding conflict with China if cross- Strait relations sour would be a significant
incentive to abandon Taiwan.
The balance of cross-Strait military forces continues to shift in the mainland’s favor.
abandoning Taiwan at a time when its economy is soaring and its trade and investment
ties to the United States are expanding would appear to be a bad idea
U.S. friends and allies
Asian countries which look to the United States to balance China’s rising power may
not want Washington to squander resources and energy on Taiwan, but were it to
conversely ignore Taiwan’s security, they would see their own safety threatened. U.S.
credibility, therefore, is at stake. U.S. inconstancy could convince American allies and
friends to rely less on Washington, undertake an arms race, and/or bandwagon with
China.
A U.S. decision to abandon Taiwan - leading to unification of an unwilling Taiwan
with China - would be particularly alarming to Japan.
adding to Japan’s dismay if the United States can sever ties to Taiwan, Seoul could be
safer renouncing its security alliance with Washington and aligning with Beijing.
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Abandon taiwan?" the washington quarterly 34:4 (2011): 23-37. Argument: the united states should neither abandon nor reduce its commitments to. Taiwan, but strengthen them. long and often discordant history of dealings between washington and taipei, there have been repeated calls for severing this uncomfortable and dangerous relationship. Taiwan has been characterized as a strategic liability, an expensive diversion, and most often, an obstacle to more important u. s. china relations. Taiwan remains the single issue which could spark war between the united states and the people"s republic of china, Taiwan impedes improvement in u. s. china relations because of suspicion and mistrust. Beijing firmly believes that washington seeks to keep the prc weak and divided to obstruct china"s rise. Meanwhile, americans are adamant that resolution of the cross-strait impasse happen peacefully and with the assent of the people of. China, therefore, is the most critical variable in determining future u. s. policy toward.
