Missile Accident Reminds U.S. of Dangers of Taiwan Commitment

Taiwan long has been one of the globe ’s most dangerous tripwires. Other than a brief period after World War II, the island has not been ruled by the mainland for more than a century. The 23 million people living on what was once called Formosa have made a nation.However, the People ’s Republic of China views Taiwan–also known as the Republic of China (ROC)–as part of the PRC. As China has grown wealthier, it has created a military increasingly capable of defeating Taiwan.At the same time, economic ties between the two nations have grown, yet the Taiwanese population has steadily identified more with Taiwan than the PRC. The election of Tsai Ing-wen of the traditional pro-independence Democratic Progress Party as president in January greatly discomfited Beijing. As Chinese patience wanes, American policy based on ambiguity grows riskier. Washington ’s commitment to Taiwan developed out of the World War II alliance with the ROC.However, Washington loosened its commitment to Taipei with President Richard Nixon ’s opening to China. President Jimmy Carter furthered the process when the United States shifted official recognition to the PRC.The American military commitment has become steadily less certain. Would the United States really risk Los Angeles for Taipei, as one Chinese general famously asked?Washington officials hope never to have to answer that question, but the recent Taiwanese missile misfire offers a dramatic reminder of the danger of guaranteeing other n...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - Category: American Health Authors: Source Type: blogs