US Aid to Taiwan is Shortsighted - A commentary

It would seem that the silent acceptance by the Taiwanese on the “one China” policy has so far prevented military conflict between the two entities and allowed Taiwan to flourish. So why is the US still seeking to counter the growing Chinese military superiority, especially given the fact that the Chinese military power will continue to grow as a result of its growing economical power?

The current president of Taiwan was elected largely due to the promise on the strengthening of economical ties between the two entities (I am obliged by the terms of the "One-China" policy not to refer the two as separate "countries", ). Therefore, their economical romance will surely continue to grow. Of course, the relationship is less of a romance and more of a need to fulfill the necessary "desire". They aren’t in love, that is for sure. Taiwan, like everyone else in Southern-Asia, needs the Chinese market. This is made obvious by the shift in the Taiwan’s exports to the US. In the 80s, half the Taiwanese exports went to USA, but that number has now dropped to a mealy 20%. One can only conclude that in the long run, the US-Taiwan alliance will become irrelevant as the later draws’ even closer economically to China.

American’s focus on military aid/trade to Taiwan is therefore misguided. It is in fact an impediment in an era where countries are realigning their Geo-economical relationships with the emerging economical power. Washington continues to manage the conflict between China and its neighbors, as if it is dealing with China of the 1950s!

Why is the Taiwan-China dispute continue to be of interest to the Americans in a time when China is moving toward the center of global capitalism? Is it more about the dollar disguised in military threat campaigns? Probably so. It is interesting to note that the said contract will involve American giants such as Boeing, United Technologies, and Lockheed Martin. But, this short term economical gain may damage the diplomatic relation between China and US. The US should be focusing on getting China to reign in on Iran and N. Korean - the so-called “Axis of evil”. F.ck Taiwan, she is part of China!

If I was a geopolitical strategist (a.k.a CIA), I wouldn’t focus on countering the military imbalance between two disgruntled cousins. No, that is too shortsighted. Instead, I would seek to weaken China’s global position by promoting openness inside China. You see, the strong central government in China has enable her, among other things, to artificially hold down its currency, and thereby boost exports. If you want to weaken China, then push for more political transparency and individual freedom. This will create chaos in Chinese society as they disintegrate into different ethnic regions (remember the old trick of divide and rule?). China is made up of 56 nationalities, and if the recent riots in Urumqi and Lhasa are an indication of more to come, then China’s stability is indeed on shaky grounds. But until then, all Taiwan can do is joining them [The PRC].


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