A former American representative to Taipei said Saturday that practical measures of support for Taiwan by the United States government are more important than diplomatic recognition of the island country.
Speaking at a forum in Taipei, former Director of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) William Stanton said that he did not foresee any major changes in the U.S.’ engagement with Taiwan should the two establish diplomatic relations, even though he has always held the personal view that Washington should define Taiwan as a sovereign country and help with its defense if necessary.
Stanton said that was why it came as a surprise when he heard former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo earlier this month call for the U.S. to recognize Taiwan diplomatically.
“Setting aside whether Secretary of State Pompeo had ever proposed this to President Trump, a more important question, from my perspective, is whether he had discussed this first with the Taiwanese government, either before or during his visit” to Taiwan, the former AIT director said.
Stanton, a chair professor at National Chengchi University and teacher at the International College of Innovation there, said he firmly believes that any shift in the U.S.’ public statements on cross-strait relations must first be coordinated with the Taiwanese government.
“After all, it is easy for a U.S. politician to take a forward-leaning stand on Taiwan, but Taiwan will always bear the brunt of any People’s Republic of China reaction to policy shifts,” said Stanton, who served as AIT director from 2009 to 2012.
Stanton said that while he saw Pompeo as “one of the few top officials in the Trump administration who really cared about Taiwan,” he did not agree that there was any pressing functional reason for a shift in the U.S.’ diplomatic policy on Taiwan.
“The Taiwanese government needs to consider not only the practical potential gains of diplomatic recognition but also the possible costs,” Stanton said.
Instead of rhetorical support, however, the U.S. needs to take more practical, concrete steps that will strengthen its relationship with Taiwan and boost the island country’s defense capabilities, he said.
“President Biden and his administration have repeatedly said the U.S.’ support for Taiwan is ‘rock-solid,’ but no one knows what that specifically means,” Stanton said. “Even the metaphor is troubling. Not all rock is solid. Shale is usually soft and brittle, and limestone is soft as well.”
He suggested that Washington consider more practical supportive measures such as signing a bilateral free trade agreement, lifting the existing range restrictions on the missiles in the Taiwan military, and expanding people-to-people exchanges so that more young Americans can visit Taiwan.
During a visit to Taiwan earlier this month, Pompeo said the U.S. government should immediately recognize Taiwan as a “free and sovereign country.”
“It is my view that the United States government should immediately take necessary and long overdue steps to do the right and obvious thing. That is to offer the Republic of China (Taiwan) America’s diplomatic recognition as a free and sovereign country,” Pompeo said during a speech in Taipei on March 4.
He did not indicate, however, whether that recognition should be rhetorical or if he meant that Washington should reestablish diplomatic relations with Taipei. He also did not indicate why he did not take that step when he had the chance during his 2018-2021 tenure as secretary of state under the administration of then President Donald Trump.
Following Pompeo’s call last month, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs declined to comment, saying that it respected the former American official’s comments, which were made as a private citizen.
The U.S. and the Republic of China (Taiwan) severed official ties in 1979 after Washington switched recognition to Beijing, and the U.S. later established the AIT to represent its interests in Taiwan in the absence of diplomatic ties.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel
