U.S. Policy
America’s Pacific Century
Documents
The Joint U.S.-China Communique,
Shanghai, February 27, 1972
Joint Communique on
the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the People’s Republic of
China and the United States of America,
January 1, 1979
U.S.-PRC Joint
Communique, August 17, 1982
Taiwan Relations
Act
“Whither China:
From Membership to Responsibility?” Robert B. Zoellick, Deputy Secretary
of State, Remark to National
Committee on U.S.-China Relations, September 21, 2005
U.S.-China Joint
Statement 2009. 11. 17
China-Taiwan: Recent Economic,
Political and Military Developments Across the Strait and Implications for
the United States David B. Shear, Deputy
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Testimony
before the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, Mar. 18, 2010
2010 Report to
Congress of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission
U.S.-China Joint
Statement, January 19, 2011
[News] [Papers]
~2004 ; 2005-2006; 2007-2008; 2009
US Reiterates Support for
Cross-Strait Ties
(Taipei Times, Feb. 1, 2012) Ben Rhodes, the
deputy US national security advisor for strategic communications, said the
administration of US President Barack Obama had always backed Ma’s pursuit of
better relations across the Taiwan Strait.
Taiwan Moves 1 Step Closer
to US Visa Waiver
(China
Post, Jan. 21, 2012) U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has formally
requested that the Secretary of Homeland Security consider Taiwan for the
Visa Waiver Program, according to a White House press release.
After Election, US Presses
Taiwan on Beef
(AFP, Jan. 20, 2012) The United States urged Taiwan to ease restrictions on US
beef, saying it wanted to focus more on economic relations with the island
after President Ma Ying-jeou won re-election.
US Wants Taiwan to Join in
Aid Cooperation
(Taipei Times, Dec. 3, 2011) The US would like to
engage in expanded and more effective cooperation with Taiwan in delivering
humanitarian assistance, eliminating hunger and child malnutrition, and
investing in healthcare to reduce infectious diseases.
Taiwan, United States Talk
Counter-Piracy Cooperation
(CNA, Dec. 3, 2011) The U.S. delegation, composed
of members of the U.S. Department of State and Department of Defense, was led
by Donna Hopkins, coordinator of the Counter Piracy and Maritime Security in
the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs.
US House Body Votes to Adopt
New Laws on Taiwan
(Taipei Times, Nov. 19, 2011) The US House of
Representatives’ Committee on Foreign Affairs voted unanimously to adopt two
new laws to substantially boost US relations with Taiwan.
Clinton Issues Call for US
‘Pacific Century’
(Reuters, Nov. 12, 2011) With the US facing a
multipronged challenge from China, US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham
Clinton declared that the 21st century would be “America’s Pacific century”
and said the region’s problems required US leadership.
U.S. to Build Up Military in
Australia
(Wall Street Journal, Nov. 10, 2011) President
Barack Obama will announce an accord for a new and permanent U.S. military
presence in Australia when he visits next week, a step aimed at countering
China's influence and reasserting U.S. interest in the region, said people
familiar with his plans.
US Lawmakers Stress Import
of ‘Six Assurances’
(Taipei
Times, Nov. 10, 2011) Leading members of Congress have written to US
Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta to stress the importance of the “six
assurances” that former US president Ronald Reagan gave to Taiwan.
US Pursues Ways to Raise Level of Meetings with ROC: Official
(CNA, Oct. 6, 2011) The United States has maintained
regular consultations with Taiwan
at senior levels and is actively exploring ways to raise the level of such
engagements, the U.S.
assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs said.
Visa Waiver Inclusion
Nearing: US Official
(CNA, Oct. 6, 2011) Taiwan's
application for inclusion in the United States'
visa waiver program is continuing to head toward the finish line and progress
will be in sight in the very near term, the U.S. assistant secretary of state
for East Asian and Pacific Affairs said.
Visa-Waiver Talks with US
Enter Final Stages: Envoy
(CNA. Oct. 1, 2011) Taiwan's
application to participate in the United States'
visa-waiver program is entering the final stages, said Leo Lee, Taiwan's deputy representative to the U.S.
US Trade Delegation Holds
Talks
(Taipei Times, Oct. 1, 2011) A delegation led by
US Deputy Assistant Trade Representative for China and Taiwan Affairs Eric
Altbach held working-level meetings with their Taiwanese counterparts in
Taipei.
US Senate Passes Resolution
Backing Taiwan’s ICAO Bid
(CNA, Sep. 23, 2011) The U.S. Senate unanimously
passed a resolution in support of Taiwan's observer status in the
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), to enable it to play a part
in maintaining global air transport security.
Highest-level US Trip to
Taiwan in Five Years
(AFP, Sep. 10, 2011) US assistant secretary of
commerce Suresh Kumar is scheduled to visit Taiwan
next week, the highest-level American official to come to the island in over
five years, its mission in Taipei
said.
WikiLeaks: Beef Imports Top
Priority for US and Taiwan: Cable
(Taipei
Times, Sep. 9, 2011) The longstanding impasse over US beef imports to Taiwan
was an issue addressed in plenty of US diplomatic cables regarding bilateral
relationships released by WikiLeaks, with the subject being termed by a top
US official on Taiwan as “the highest priority for the White House.”
WikiLeaks: AIT Urged VISA
Waivers for Taiwan
(Taipei Times, Sep. 7, 2011) A leaked US cable
shows the AIT strongly suggested that the US grant Taiwan visa-waiver status,
saying it was in Washington’s “national interests” and could fend off the
“threat” to US predominance in Taiwanese society amid Taipei’s warming ties
with Beijing.
Ros-Lehtinen to Seek
Enhanced TRA
(Taipei Times,
Sep. 4, 2011) US
Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, chairperson of the US House Foreign
Affairs Committee, will introduce new legislation over the next few days to
strengthen and enhance the Taiwan Relations Act.
WikiLeaks: US Rules for
Contacting Taiwanese Revealed
(Taipei
Times, Aug. 25, 2011) The cable, dated Sept. 5, 2008, showed that then-US
secretary of state Condoleezza Rice issued a directive to overseas diplomatic
missions detailing the guidelines, which the cable said did not apply to the
American Institute in Taiwan.
US Official Says Biden
Didn’t Refer to Taiwan As China’s ‘Core Interest’ (CNA, Aug. 24, 2011) An official of the U.S. State Department
said that U.S. Vice President Joe Biden did not refer to Taiwan and Tibet as
part of China's core interests, as was reported by Xinhua news agency last
week during Biden's visit to Beijing.
US Senate Supports Taiwan’s Role in Regional Aviation
(Taipei Times, Jul. 28, 2011) The US Senate Committee
on Foreign Relations passed a resolution on Tuesday in support of Taiwan’s
observer status in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Gary Locke Confirmed As U.S.
Ambassador to China
(Washington
Post, Jul. 27, 2011) The Senate unanimously confirmed outgoing Commerce
Secretary Gary Locke as the next U.S.
ambassador to China,
making him the first Chinese-American to assume that post.
US Reaffirms Taiwan
Relations Act: Legislators
(CNA, Jul. 19, 2011) United
States congressmen have reaffirmed that there will be
no changes to the Taiwan Relations Act, a lawmaker who recently returned from
the U.S.
said.
US Lawmakers Plan TRA
Enhancement
(Taipei Times, Jun. 18, 2011) US
Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, chairman of the US House of
Representatives’ Foreign Affairs Committee, told a special hearing on Taiwan
that she would soon introduce new legislation “to enhance the Taiwan
Relations Act.”
Gates Talks of Boosting
Asian Security Despite Budget Cuts
(New
York Times, Jun. 3, 2011) Mr. Gates noted the balance sought by the United States between its obligations to
defend Taiwan from
aggression and its desire for cordial ties with China.
Envoy-to-be Gary Locke Aimes
to Rebalance U.S.-China Trade
(Reuters,
May 26, 2011) Gary Locke vowed to win more access to Chinese markets; he said
he would also raise concerns about China’s human rights record and
convince the Chinese to be more helpful in curbing nuclear proliferation.
US Not Opposed to
‘Academies’
(Taipei Times, Apr. 6, 2011) The US was not
opposed to Taiwan establishing “Taiwan Academies” in the US as part of the
Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office, and would be happy to
work with Taipei to materialize the plan, the American Institute in Taiwan
said.
Armitage Reassures on US
Commitment
(Taipei Times, Mar. 30, 2011) Praising the
development of Taiwan’s
democracy, former US
deputy secretary of state Richard Armitage reassured Taiwan of the US’ security commitment.
US Comfortable with Improved
Cross-Taiwan Strait Ties: AIT Head
(CNA, Mar. 9, 2011) The United States encourages
increased cross-Taiwan Strait dialogue and is not nervous about warming ties
between Taiwan and China, the top U.S.
diplomat in Taiwan
said.
A New Job in Beijing for
Secretary of Commerce
(New York Times, Mar. 8, 2011) President
Obama plans to nominate Gary F. Locke, the commerce secretary and one of
the highest-ranking Chinese-Americans in the administration, as the next
American ambassador to China.
US Commitment Deteriorating:
Report
(Taipei Times, Mar. 3, 2011) US policy on Taiwan
under US President Barack Obama has taken a “hazardous” turn that appears to
be moving toward support for Beijing’s interpretation of its core interests,
the US-Taiwan Business Council said in a special commentary released.
US to Cut VOA Broadcasts in
Chinese
(Taipei
Times, Feb. 16, 2011) Voice of America plans to end all radio and TV
broadcasts in Mandarin and Cantonese starting in October amid a budget cut
plan announced by US President Barack Obama, reports said. China’s Response
New U.S. Military Strategy
Focuses on Asia
(Chosun Ilbo, Feb. 10, 2011) The U.S. Defense
Department predicts that America
will face bigger challenges in the Asia-Pacific region due to the emergence
of China and India and North Korea's nuclear program.
US Kept Taiwan in Mind
during Hu Trip: Burghardt
(Taipei Times, Jan. 26, 2011) The American
Institute in Taiwan head
said that the US stuck by
the Taiwan Relations Act when President Obama held talks with China’s
Hu Jintao.
Washington’s Cross-Strait
Power Fading: Analysts
(CNA, Jan. 23, 2011) A “metamorphosis” in
cross-Taiwan Strait development could bring a fundamental change to the
triangular relations among Taiwan, China and the United States, with
Washington's influence fading, analysts said.
Opinions Differ on US-China
Statement
(Taipei Times, Jan. 22, 2011) Officials and
academics offered different interpretations of the differences between the
recent US-China joint statement and the one signed in 2009 and whether the US supported China’s
claim to sovereignty over Taiwan.
Obama Salutes Taiwan-China
Progress
(AFP, Jan. 21, 2011) U.S. President Barack Obama
voiced hope for a further easing of tensions over the Taiwan Strait as he
pledged to stick to U.S.
recognition of Beijing as the sole government
of China.
Taiwan Grateful for US.
Commitment to Taiwan Relations Act
(CNA, Jan. 20, 2011) The Republic of China
government appreciates U.S. President Barack Obama's reaffirmation of his
administration's commitment to upholding the Taiwan Relations Act in its
engagement with China,
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
Hu Meeting May Have No
Effect: Ex-representative
(China Post, Jan. 19, 2011) “Taiwan issue will
not be of major concern for both sides in the meeting since in a joint
statement previously issued during their last meeting in December 2009, the
U.S. had already expressed respect for China's sovereignty and territorial
integrity,” Joseph Wu said.
Senate Taiwan Caucus
Resurfaces in Time for Hu Visit
(Foreign Policy, Jan. 14, 2011) The leaders of
the Senate Taiwan Caucus are preparing to send a letter to President
Obama urging him to make clear to Chinese President Hu
Jintao during next week's summit that the United States will continue to sell
weapons to Taipei, despite Beijing's complaints.
Gates Reiterates US’ Taiwan
Policy
(Taipei Times,
Jan. 13, 2011) The US
secretary of defense said that Washington
does not support Taiwanese independence, but that it does have ‘certain
obligations’ under the TRA.
US to Cut Defense Budget and
Troops
(Reuters, Jan. 8, 2011) The US plans to cut US$78
billion in defense spending over five years, including a reduction of up to
47,000 troops, in a politically contentious move that would trim the
government’s growing budget deficit.
Big Changes Coming to
Obama’s Asia Team
(Washington
Post, Jan. 5, 2011) Several senior Obama administration Asia officials are
scheduled to either leave government or move to new jobs within the
bureaucracy in the coming months, as the White House tries to hit the reset
button on U.S.-China relations.
China Told Not to
Underestimate US
(Taipei Times, Dec. 10, 2010) China must not underestimate the US and its allies, while reinforcing
cooperation is the best option, a former US
diplomat said at an international forum in Taipei. The Rise of China and
Alliance in East Asia: Implications for Diplomatic Truce
US Aims to Deepen Its Trade
Ties with Taiwan: AIT Head
(Taipei Times,
Dec. 1, 2010) The US aims to deepen trade ties with Taiwan in areas of
intellectual property protection, electronic commerce, customs administration
and standards and technical barriers to standards, a top US official on
Taiwan said.
Cross-Strait Engagement Best
Path to Peace: AIT
(Taipei
Times, Oct. 30, 2010) Continued engagement is the best guarantee for
maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, said William
Stanton, director of the Taipei Office of the American Institute in Taiwan
(AIT), in an interview with a local newspaper.
U.S. Supports Taiwan’s ICAO
Participation: Official
(CNA,
Oct. 8, 2010) The United States expressed explicit support for Taiwan's bid to take part in the International
Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) , in which Taiwan is seeking
"meaningful participation" as an observer.
Arms Sales Highlight U.S.
Foreign Policy Idealism: AIT Head
(CNA, Jul. 10, 2010) Washington's arms sales to
Taiwan shows that the United States' foreign policy still upholds idealism
over pragmatism, the top U.S. diplomat in Taiwan said in a speech.
US Rules out Taiwan Free
Trade Deal
(AFP, Jul. 7, 2010) The United States has ruled
out a free trade agreement with Taiwan
amid a dispute over beef imports, days after the island signed a sweeping
accord with longtime adversary China.
MOFA to Look into Gates’ Use
of ‘Oppose’ in Speech
(Taipei Times, Jun. 11, 2010) The Ministry of
Foreign Affairs said it would look into a recent comment made by US Secretary
of Defense Robert Gates that does not appear to be in line with the
longstanding US position that it does “not support” Taiwan’s independence.
Gates used the word “oppose.”
Taiwan-US FTA Resolution
Introduced in Congress
(Taipei Times, May 10, 2010) A new resolution
formally calling on US President Barack Obama to move toward a free-trade
agreement (FTA) with Taiwan
has been introduced into the US Congress.
AIT Welcomes Ma’s CNN
Comments
(CNA, May 5, 2010) The United States reacted
favorably to President Ma Ying-jeou's recent interview on CNN, while Chinese
scholars saw a controversial remark he made as signaling his determination to
pursue better ties with China.
Congressmen Support ICAO
Observer Status for Taiwan
(Taipei Times,
Apr. 24, 2010) A group of US Congressmen are pushing for Taiwan to be awarded “observer
status” in the International Civil Aviation Organization.
U.S. Wants Full Local
Opening to Beef Imports
(CNA, Mar. 17, 2010) The top U.S. envoy to Taiwan
said that the United States
is still looking for a full implementation of a beef import deal signed with Taiwan
last October.
U.S. Use of ‘Chinese Taipei’
Is Big Warning: Lawmaker
(CNA, Mar. 2, 2010) An
opposition lawmaker has demanded that Taiwan's government defend the
country's sovereignty by asking the U.S. government for a correction after
referring to Taiwan as “Chinese Taipei” for the first time in official usage.
AmCham Calls for Early TIFA
Talks
(China
Post, Feb. 10, 2010) The American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei
has urged the top U.S.
official in the next round of trade talks with Taiwan for early scheduling of
the bilateral trade negotiations.
AIT Confirms Taiwan Military
Plane Refueling in U.S.
(CNA, Jan. 21, 2010) The American Institute in Taiwan confirmed that a Taiwan military aircraft, en route to Haiti on a humanitarian aid mission, was
refueling in the United
States.
Defense, Beef Ban Unrelated:
US Official
(Taipei
Times, Jan. 9, 2010) The increasingly fractious beef row between Washington
and Taipei will not impact arms sales or other aspects of the bilateral
relationship, Assistant US Secretary of State for East Asia and the Pacific
Kurt Campbell said.
Congress and Obama’s China Policy, More Bark than
Bite By Robert Sutter
(PacNet #5, Pacific Forum, CSIS, Jan. 19, 2012) Conflicting interests in the
US advocating or opposing tougher congressional action on China indicate that
the overall effect of recent congressional activism will not upset the
president’s policies. It will prompt some vocal debate and will impede
forward movement in US-China relations.
Why Taiwan’s Future Matters By Su Chi
(New York Times, Jan. 13, 2012) As the
18th-largest economy in the world and a thoroughly democratized nation, Taiwan is still perceived by some in Washington as a potential bargaining chip in crafting a
new relationship with China.
This is a mistake.
Biden to Oversee PRC File:
Report By William Lowther
(Taipei
Times, Jan. 4, 2012) US Vice President Joseph Biden will reportedly “take the
lead” in the next phase of US policy toward China, which will almost
certainly give Biden a major say in future US-Taiwan relations.
US Academic Rejects ‘Ditch
Taiwan’ Talk By Shih Hsiu-chuan
(Taipei Times, Dec. 2, 2011) Dismissing a spate
of arguments calling for a change in US policy on Taiwan, US academic Shelley
Rigger said “we all have too much to lose” if the US withdrew its support for
Taiwan, a move that would not benefit China, Taiwan or the US.
Obama Trip Stresses Ties to
Economies Across Pacific By Jackie Clames (New York Times, Nov. 12, 2011) President Obama began
an eight-day trip around the Pacific Rim to inaugurate what he hopes will be
a new era in which engagement with the fast-growing economies of Asia is
paramount.
America’s Pacific Century
By Hillary Rodham Clinton
(Remarks at the East-West
Center, Honolulu,
Nov. 10, 2011) We remain committed to the One-China policy and the preservation
of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
We have a strong relationship with Taiwan,
an important security and economic partner, and we applaud the progress that
we have seen in cross-Strait relations between China
and Taiwan
during the past three years and we look forward to continued improvement so
there can be peaceful resolution of their differences.
Taiwan Has Key Role to Play
in Future of Asia: US Academic By William Lowther (Taipei Times, Nov.12, 2011) Taiwan is pivotal — not a sideshow —
to the future of Asia, a senior academic told a Washington conference.
The Trans-Pacific
Partnership and the Rise of China By
Bernard K. Gordon (Foreign Affairs, Nov. 7,
2011) Nations of the region need not succumb to the inevitability of a
Pacific dominated by China.
A Trans-Pacific Partnership composed of Japan, the United States, Australia,
and the group’s smaller economies represents a healthier alternative—one
that realists would recognize as a step toward a classic balance of power.
U.S.-Taiwan Relations
(Editorial, VOA, Nov. 2, 2011) The foundation of
U.S.-Taiwan is common values and a shared belief in democracy.
Pundits Debate If Taiwan Is
Defendable By William Lowther
(Taipei Times, Oct. 28, 2011) The forum entitled
“Is Taiwan Defendable?” was held in a House of Representatives meeting room,
and it was organized by the International Assessment and Strategy Center
and attended by congressional aides.
U.S. Pivots Eastward to
Address Uneasy Allies By Elisabeth Bumiller (New York Times, Oct. 25, 2011) Mr. Panetta’s message, delivered
the day before in Indonesia as well and certain to be repeated later this
week when he travels to South Korea, is the new call of the Obama
administration as it scrambles to project its power in Asia.
U.S. to Sustain Military
Power in the Pacific, Panetta Says By
Elisabeth Bumiller (New York Times, Oct. 24,
2011) Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said that despite hundreds
of billions of dollars in expected cuts to the Pentagon budget, the United States would remain a Pacific power even
as China
expanded its military presence in the region.
US Forum Debates Issue of
‘Abandoning’ Taiwan By William Lowther (Taipei Times, Oct. 20, 2011) A Washington conference has been
told that a minority view supporting the US’ “abandonment” of Taiwan is
getting a lot of attention because there is a growing belief that China’s
importance outweighs any affinity or obligation to its Asian ally.
US Academic Suggests US
Should Drop ‘Hands-off’ Approach to Cross-Strait Ties (Taipei
Times, Oct. 16, 2011) In an article published in the US-based National
Interest, Michael Swaine said the US is the only country that can facilitate
a Chinese drawdown of its military against Taiwan and instigate genuine
movement toward a more stable cross-strait military and political
relationship.
America’s Pacific Century By Hillary Clinton
(Foreign Policy, November 2011) The future of
politics will be decided in Asia, not Afghanistan
or Iraq, and the United States
will be right at the center of the action.
Debating the Pacific Century
(Foreign Policy, Oct. 14, 2011) In the November issue of
Foreign Policy, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton argues that it’s time for
the United States to move
on from its costly wars in the Middle East and make a strategic “pivot” to Asia. FP asked four smart observers to take the measure
of Clinton’s plans for engagement in the Far East.
Clinton Asia Article Omits
Taiwan By William Lowther
(Taipei Times,
Oct. 14, 2011) In a long and important commentary on Asia that will appear in
the November issue of Foreign Policy journal, US
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton does not mention Taiwan once.
Panda Mugging By Michael A. Cohen
(Foreign Policy, Oct. 14, 2011) For
all the bipartisan panda-mugging going on, it's unclear that the American
people are buying it quite yet.
The United States and China:
A G-2 in the Making? By Richard C. Bush III (Brookings, Oct. 11, 2011) The record of cooperation so far does
not inspire huge confidence that it will broaden and deepen. G-2 is more
illusion than reality
America the Overcommitted By Jeremi Suri
(New York Times, Oct. 14, 2011) International
stability will require sophisticated American efforts to engage China
in ways that serve the interests of both countries. The key is to keep the
relationship focused on big issues that are the most uniting, rather than
divisive issues like currency valuations and Taiwan.
Senate Jabs China Over Its
Currency By Jennifer Steinhauer
(New York Times, Oct. 12, 2011) A bipartisan
cross-section of Congress seems to agree that China manipulates its currency in
ways that make it harder for many American manufacturers to compete. Where
they cannot find alignment is on how best to address that problem.
Sea Change By Ted Galen Carpenter and Robert D. Kaplan
(Foreign Policy, November 2011) The Cato
Institute’s Ted Galen Carpenter asks whether the United
States can afford the naval confrontation with China
envisioned by Robert Kaplan.
Huntsman Warns of “Trade
War” with China By Danny Yadron
(Washington
Wire, Oct. 10, 2011) Jon Huntsman, the presidential candidate and former Utah governor, said
that he opposes placing tariffs on Chinese goods in order to combat perceived
currency manipulation.
The US Public Wants
Disengagement By Bruce Stokes
(YaleGlobal, Sep. 14, 2011) Downplaying US
presidential candidates’ isolationist pronouncements will belie the
underlying sea change taking place among American voters, who are turning
their backs on the Afghanistan war, on NATO and on engagement with Europe,
while gearing up for a confrontation with China.
Strengthen Ties, Sell Jets,
Study Urges By
William Lowther
(Taipei Times, Sep. 10, 2011) The
US should bolster its relationship with Taiwan
and sell Taipei
the 66 F-16C/D aircraft it has requested, a
major new academic study by Nancy Bernkopt Tucker and Bonnie Glaser
concludes.
Over the Horizon By James Traub
(Foreign Policy, Sep. 2, 2011) Is
it possible that, a decade after 9/11, America has become too
preoccupied with the threat from "nonstate actors" and too
complacent about the more classic dangers posed by powerful and
self-aggrandizing states? Or, put more succinctly, how afraid of China should the United States be?
China, US Needs a Fourth
Communique By
Pang Guoping
(China Daily, Aug. 31, 2011) It
has become necessary for China and the US to sign a fourth joint communiqué
to make it binding on the US to comply with the one-China policy, abolish the
Taiwan Relations Act and stop selling arms to Taiwan.
Why We Need Taiwan By John F. Copper
(National Interest, Aug. 29,
2011) There are two good arguments to be made for
Taiwan’s strategic
importance: One comes from looking at the history of the United States. The other from
geopolitics.
The US Has To Bring Taiwan
in From Cold By
Nat Bellocchi
(Taipei Times, Aug. 24, 2011)
While the US does need to engage China to encourage it to take a responsible
stance toward its neighbors, it should also be emphasized that the US needs
to draw clear lines in the sand, so that Beijing fully understands
Washington’s position.
Geography Is Not Fate;
Taiwan Still Has Options By Nat Bellocchi
(Taipei Times, Aug. 15, 2011) If
push comes to shove, I am sure the US
will be there for Taiwan,
to ensure Taiwanese are free to decide their own future. Taiwan is of strategic importance to the US because it is an anchor for democracy in East Asia.
The KORUS FTA Is a Strategic Imperative By
L. Gordon Flake and Troy Stangarone
(PacNet #42,Pacific Forum, CSIS, Aug. 4, 2011) An America that cannot resolve
its own differences to pass the KORUS FTA would be seen by prospective
partners as unable t follow through on its commitments.
Getting Foreign Policy Right By
Elbridge Colby
(PacNet #41,Pacific Forum, CSIS,
Aug. 4, 2011) The pendulum should not be allowed to swing too far toward an
incautious retrenchment. For our problem has not been overseas commitments
and interventions as such, but the kinds of interventions.
Taiwan Significant to US,
CRS Analysis Shows By William Lowther
(Taipei Times, Aug. 12, 2011) In the era of
President Ma Ying-jeou’s“ cross-strait engagement” the analysis says that
both Washington and Taipei have “put more efforts into their respective
relations with Beijing” than they have put into relations with each other. U.S.-Taiwan Relationship: Overview of Policy Issues
All Eyes on Locke As He
Starts New Job By
Zhang Wenzong
(China Daily, Aug. 11, 2011)
Perhaps the real test for Locke comes in 2012, when the US will hold its general
elections. Criticism of the US'
current policy on China
may be intensified. Handling this will be Locke's test of wisdom as the top US diplomat in China.
America’s Coming Retrenchment
By Michael Mandelbaum
(Foreign Affairs, Aug. 9, 2011)
The battle to bring deficits under
control is bound to be protracted,
difficult, and contentious, and one of its casualties will be spending on
foreign and security policy, which will decline in the years ahead.
Clinton Urges Asian Nations
to Compete Fairly in World Markets By
Keith Bradsher (New York Times, Jul. 26,
2011) Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton laid out an American
economic agenda in Asia that emphasized broad international agreements over
bilateral pacts, part of a wider theme of preserving American involvement in
Europe and Asia.
China Policy: Avoiding a Cold War Redux By
Brad Glosserman
(PacNet
#31, Pacific Forum, CSIS, Jun. 2, 2011) Is Beijing pushing US buttons,
forcing it to spend increasingly scare resources on defense assets and
diverting them from other more productive uses?
Expert Call for US, China
Policy Shift to Avoid War By William Lowther (Taipei
Times, Jun. 24, 2011) Experts told a conference in Washington
that to avoid war over Taiwan,
Beijing and Washington must change their current
policies.
Disengaging from Taiwan
(Foreign
Affairs, July/August 2011) Should the United
States maintain its commitment to Taiwan, or should it consider disengaging in
order to accommodate China?
Shyu-tu Lee and Douglas Paal both argue that alliance with Taipei
remains in Washington's
interest. Not so, writes Charles Glaser.
US Seeks to Fund ‘Shadow’
Internet to Defeat Censors
(New York Times, Jun. 13, 2011) The Obama
administration is leading a global effort to deploy “shadow” Internet and
mobile phone systems that dissidents can use to undermine repressive
governments that seek to silence them.
U.S. Won’t Become
Isolationist, Gates Tells Worried Asian Leaders By Thom Shanker (New York
Times, Jun. 4, 2011) Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates pledged that
the United States would sustain its military presence and diplomatic
involvement in Asia.
US Needs to Put End to ‘One
China’ Confusion By Nat Bellocchi
(Taipei Times, May 29, 2011) If the US wants to
review the TRA, it needs to strengthen it in order to be more supportive of
Taiwan’s existence as a free democracy.
No Review of U.S. Law on
Taiwan Seen Anytime Soon By Phil Stewart (Reuters, May 23, 2011) A top Chinese general says there is
interest in Congress in overhauling U.S. policy on arming Taiwan but U.S.
lawmakers appear highly unlikely to revise legislation at the core of
Sino-U.S. tensions.
China Presses US to Reassess
Law on Taiwan Arms Sales By William Ide (VoA, May 22, 2011) During a recent week-long visit to the United
States, Chen Bingde, the chief of the general staff of China's People's
Liberation Army, or PLA, pressed the United States to end arms to Taiwan.
US-Taiwan Binds Start to
Fray By Jens Kastner
(Asia Times, May 20, 2011) Anyone who meets
General Chen Bingde, the PLA chief of the general staff, on his week-long
visit ending May 22 is certain to hear one thing: Washington must abandon its security
commitment to the self-governed island enshrined in the Taiwan Relations Act.
Could US Policy Abandon
Taiwan? By John Copper
(Taipei Times, May
11, 2011) Whether Taiwan is a democracy or not and whether its leaders and
its population wish to unify with China or remain separate won’t
matter. Without US military support, Taiwan will not have a choice.
Shake-Up Could Affect Tone
of U.S. Policy on China By Mark Lander (New York Times, Apr. 9, 2011) The Obama administration is about
to lose three of its most prominent players on China policy — a shake-up that
could reinforce its efforts to cultivate other Asian countries to
counterbalance an increasingly assertive Beijing.
Departing U.S. Envoy
Criticizes China on Human Rights By David Barboza (New York
Times, Apr. 7, 2011) The departing American ambassador, Jon M. Huntsman
Jr., criticized China’s
human rights record in some of the sharpest public comments by a United States
official since the Chinese government began a crackdown on dissent this year.
US Seeks Reduced
Cross-Strait Tensions By William Lowther
(Taipei Times, Apr. 2, 2011) Kurt Campbell
reiterated Washington’s support for Taiwan under the Taiwan Relations Act and
for greater cross-strait dialogue and economic cooperation.
Steinberg Resigned As US Deputy Secretary of State By William Lowther (Taipei Times, Apr. 2, 2011) US Deputy Secretary of State
James Steinberg has resigned. The move is unlikely to have an immediate
impact on US-Taiwan relations at a time when Washington is preoccupied with
developments in the Arab world.
Taiwan Still Matters By Will Inboden
(Foreign Policy, Apr. 1, 2011) Many Taiwanese
feel uncertain of the White House's commitment to Taiwan's
security -- an uncertainty that could possibly undermine their confidence in
continuing to improve their relationship with China.
Obama’s Tightrope By
Joseph S. Nye
(Project Syndicate, Mar. 13, 2011) Balancing hard-power
relations with governments with soft-power support for democracy is like
walking a tightrope. The Obama administration has wobbled in this balancing
act, but thus far it has not fallen off.
Locke’s Economic Focus
Raises Questions for Taiwan By William Lowther (Taipei Times, Mar. 11, 2011) Locke, 61, is primarily interested
in increasing US business
with Beijing
and has very little expertise in what analysts refer to as the “geopolitical
dimension of the relationship.”
US Academic Draws Heavy Fire
for Article By J. Michael Cole
(Taipei
Times, Mar. 8, 2011) Criticism of an article by George Washington University
professor Charles Glaser in the current issue of Foreign Affairs magazine was
evident, as rebuttals to his article were published in two influential
publications.
Rethinking U.S. Foreign
Policy towards Taiwan By Daniel Blumenthal (Foreign Policy, Mar. 2, 2011) President Obama has more or less
tried Glaser's approach and the result has been a nadir in Sino-U.S. relations
and an intensifying Asian arms race.
Abandon Taiwan: US Academic By
J. Michael Cole
(Taipei
Times, Mar. 2, 2011) An article in the current issue of the influential Foreign Affairs magazine argues
that to avoid military competition between the US and a rising China,
Washington should consider making concessions to Beijing, including the
possibility of backing away from its commitment to Taiwan.
Defrost the U.S.-Taiwan
Relationship By Walter Lohman
(WebMemo #3173, Heritage Foundation, Feb. 28,
2011) Friends of Taiwan are grasping at straws to get movement in the U.S.–Taiwan
relationship. Arms sales are the most critical need. It is also necessary to
integrate Taiwan
into the emerging regional economic order. But virtually anything that could
defrost the relationship would be useful, even if it means following the EU’s
lead on visa waiver.
F16s a Test of US Support:
Academic By William Lowther
(Taipei Times, Feb. 12, 2011) “If we allow the
F16 decision to just lapse, to never happen — and there will never be a good
time to do it — we are at risk of appearing to downgrade the Taiwan Relations
Act and to upgrade the Chinese interpretation of the Third Communique,”
former US National Security Council member Michael Green said.
U.S. Military Says Keeps Up
with China; Is It Enough? By Phil Stewart (Reuters, Feb. 1, 2011) Looming cost cuts are adding to doubts
about the future of American power in the Pacific.
Will Obama’s ‘Sputnik
Moment’ Fly? By Don Lee and David Pierson
(LA Times, Jan. 30, 2011) In his State of the
Union call to revitalize the economy, President Obama suggested that
Americans today face a new "Sputnik moment" — the challenge of
another foreign superpower bent on domination.
China Prism Focuses Pentagon
Budget on New Weapons By Andrea Shalal-Esa (Reuters, Jan. 25, 2011) China’s
test flight of a prototype stealth fighter will help insulate U.S.
weapons spending against deeper cuts sought by deficit hawks.
Taiwan Not Briefing US:
Glaser By William Lowther
(Taipei Times, Dec. 10, 2010) The US is not being
fully informed and briefed by President Ma Ying-jeou and his administration
about Taipei’s direct negotiations with Beijing.
US Report Urges Closer
Taiwan-US Relationship By William Lowther (Taipei Times, Nov. 18, 2010) In its annual report, the US-China
Economic and Security Review Commission made a series of recommendations
aimed at boosting the Washington-Taipei relationship and pushing the
administration of US President Barack Obama to take stronger action on trade
issues with China. 2010 Report to
Congress of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission
US-Based Analysts
Apprehensive Over US-Taiwan Ties By
William Lowther (Taipei
Times, Oct. 9, 2010) Washington-based China-watchers are becoming
increasingly apprehensive over the perceived failure by Taiwan and the US to use the current situation
in the Asia-Pacific region to strengthen ties.
Pushing for a Taiwan-US FTA By
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
(Taipei Times, Jul. 16, 2010) Countless ties bind
the people and governments of Taiwan
and the US.
The alliance which has flourished under the Taiwan Relations Act will grow
even stronger with a renewed commitment to its principles and to peace and
stability in the Western Pacific.
Obama’s National Security
Strategy: A Little George Bush, Lots of Bill Clinton By
Samuel R. Berger (Washington Post, May 30,
2010) President Obama's national security strategy tackles a delicate but
unavoidable question: How do we respond to security challenges in an era of
financial distress at home and reordering of political power abroad?
New U.S. Strategy Focuses on
Managing Threats By David E. Sanger and Peter Baker (New York Times,
May 27, 2010) President Obama’s first formal national security strategy describes a coming era in which the United States will have to
learn to live within its limits.
Strengthening
People-to-People Relations: The Cornerstone of Taiwan-U.S. Ties By
Da-jung Li (The Brookings Institution, May 2010) At the current
stage, joining the U.S. Visa Waiver Program, signing a bilateral extradition
agreement, renewing the TIFA talks, resuming visits by U.S. cabinet-level
officials, and promoting Taiwan culture in the U.S. are high on Taipei’s
agenda.
US Backs Warm Cross-Strait
Ties By Dennis V. Hickey
(China Daily, Apr. 29, 2010) Officials at the
highest levels of the US
government have stressed repeatedly that the US welcomes cross-Straits
rapprochement. This is because reconciliation between the two sides of the
Straits serves American interests in a myriad of ways.
Paal Proposes APEC Invite
for Ma Next Year By William Lowther (Taipei Times,
Apr. 23, 2010) Douglas Paal, a former director of the AIT, is proposing that
President Ma Ying-jeou be invited to the APEC summit to be hosted by the US
in Honolulu in November next year.
US, Taiwan Should Cooperate
to Thwart PRC: Expert By
William Lowther (Taipei Times, Apr. 22, 2010) A new study by Robert
Kaplan — to be printed later this month in Foreign Affairs magazine —
concludes that Washington and Taipei should work together to make the
prospect of war seem “prohibitively costly” to Beijing.
The 2010 QDR and Asia: Messages for the Region By
RADM Michael McDevitt (PacNet #12, Pacific
Forum, CSIS, Mar. 23, 2010) The very explicit endorsement of the importance
of US military presence in East Asia is a significant signal to Asia that the
US has no intention of
withdrawing from Asia in the face of growing
Chinese military capability.
U.S. Floats Plan to Lift Ban
on Training Indonesia’s Kopassus Unit By
John Pomfret (Washington Post, Mar. 3, 2010)
The Obama administration's move reflects a desire to improve ties with Indonesia and other countries in Southeast
Asia as part of efforts to counter China's rise.
Obama’s East Asia Policy: So
Far, So Good By Ralph A. Cossa
(PacNet #5, Pacific Forum, CSIS, Feb. 4, 2010) US relations with the countries of East Asia are as good or better today than when the
Obama administration took office just over one year ago.
Taiwan’s Loss of
Independence a Threat to US: Expert By
William Lowther (Taipei Times, Jan. 27, 2010)
Nancy Tucker, an expert on Taiwan at Georgetown University in Washington,
said that the US' place in Asia would “never be the same again.”
Gilley’s ‘Finlandization’ Is
Wrong By Nat Bellocchi
(Taipei
Times, Jan. 18, 2010) Bruce Gilley’s basic thesis is that the present
“rapprochement” between Taiwan and China opens the way for the
“Finlandization” of Taiwan, and for the US to allow Taiwan to move from the
present US strategic orbit towards China’s sphere of influence.
U.S. Faces Long Odds in
Improved Relations with Asia By John Pomfret (Washington
Post, Jan. 14, 2010) The Obama
administration faces tough odds as it seeks to improve the standing of the
United States in a vast region that does more trade with America than any
other and that is the home to the biggest U.S. airbase outside the United
States.
Clinton Tries to Defuse
Asian Tension By Mark Landler
(New York Times, Jan. 13, 2010)
With tensions rising between the United States and both Japan and China, Asia
has emerged as a diplomatic hornet’s nest, even beyond the perennial threat
of North Korea.
Clinton, Starting Trip,
Acknowledges Possible Tensions with China By
Mark Landler (New York Times, Jan. 12, 2010) Secretary
of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, embarking on her first diplomatic trip of
2010, acknowledged that relations with China may be entering a rough
period.
In Search of the Obama
Doctrine By Carlos Lozada
(Washington
Post, Jan. 3, 2009) Has an Obama Doctrine been found? And if so, is it any
good? Judging from a spate of think tank panels, big-think journal articles
and magazine essays by conservatives and liberals alike, the reviews are
mixed at best.
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