icon
kmt logo block 正體中文 | 日本語
block
new icon  
img
title img
about kmt KMT Introduction Chairman's Biography Organization History Charter block
block
img
block block block KMT News block General News block Editorials block Survey block Opinions block block
header image

The Paradox of United States’ One-China Policy

icon2018/02/26
iconBrowse:262

 The Paradox of United States’ One-China Policy

 

United Daily News Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan)

February 23, 2018

 Translation of an Excerpt

 

The most difficult part in studying and analyzing diplomatic situations lies in the inconsistency, even confusion, in the information pertaining to the policy; it may possibly cause misjudgments, thus leading to unnecessary crises, which could be an unbearable burden on the part of allies and protagonists. The US Senate recently held two hearings; two high-echelon officials, one civil and one military, made statements on the Taiwan question, once again underscoring the paradox in the US government's policies toward China and Taiwan. The reason we call it a paradox is that it looks contradictory, but is not contradictory in reality. Facing this paradox, the two sides of the Strait should have the correct perception and response.

 

Susan Thornton, US Assistant Secretary of State-designate for East Asia and Pacific Affairs, indicated on February 15th at the Senate confirmation, addressing the removal of our national flag from the travel website of the Bureau of Consular Affairs under the State Department, said: "We do not recognize Taiwan as an independent country, do not recognize the flag of the Republic of China, do not recognize the Republic of China as a country having official relations with the United States.” She also insisted that "not showing the ROC national flag is not new policy." Her blunt reply, we believe, made many countrymen, both in the ruling and opposition camps, feel uncomfortable.

 

Admiral Harry B. Harris, widely lauded by both parties in the United States, won President Trump’s nomination as Ambassador to Australia. On February 14, he testified for the last time as Commander in the Pacific at a hearing on "Military Situation and Security Challenges in the Indo-Asia Pacific Region" organized by the US House National Defense Committee, indicating "continuing to support Taiwan in developing credible, sustainable and cost-effective deterrence and self-defense capabilities," adding that "any attempts by China to unify Taiwan by military force are not acceptable." Such unequivocal statements, under the circumstance of a serious imbalance in cross-Strait military strengths, gave Taiwan enormous encouragement.

 

For 40 years US policies toward China and Taiwan had remained faithful to the “one-China policy” as defined by Washington. Diplomatically, the United States recognizes the People's Republic of China (PRC) but maintains robust unofficial relations with the people on Taiwan; the United States abides by the "Three Joint Communiqués" with the PRC and also adheres to the "Taiwan Relations Act"; the United States also hopes to enhance military exchanges with China and also continues its military sales to Taiwan; the United States and China both cooperate and confront each other, while it helps and suppresses Taiwan. This is a rather wide policy spectrum, shifting within the spectrum with US national interests and realistic political needs.

 

The Congressional testimonies of Susan Thornton and Harry B. Harris all fall within this policy spectrum. With regard to China’s rapid rise in strength, as well as gradually revealing the essence of nationalism, the two nomineeshave no mistakes in perception; with regard to the essence of US-Taiwan relations and Taiwan’s strategic value, they have not deviated from reality, either; we cannot simplify our understanding of the statements with "pro-China, abandon Taiwan" or "aid Taiwan, confront China."

 

In the foreseeable future, we must pay attention to two crucial trends. First, the US and China, the two superpowers, will still continue to seek cooperation, but the global competitive posture by both sides is being shaped. On the future locus where competition is greater than cooperation, we need to seek the good and avoid the evil. First of all, we should establish the maximum consensus of all Chinese across the Strait. Second, before cross-Strait relations have reached a new frontier of a meeting of the minds, facing the locking of horns as the US attempts to grasp cross-Strait relations, Taiwan as its bargaining chip to compete with China, must remain calm in response.

iconAttachment : none 


Copyright©2024 Kuomintang Address: No.232~234, Sec. 2, BaDe Rd., Zhongshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan (ROC)  
image