Nelson Report: Congressional Republicans Support Greater US-Taiwan Ties

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Congressional Republicans Support Greater US-Taiwan Ties
19 Jul 2018
Terrence Matsuo, Nelson Report

Statements by Congressional Republicans on Wednesday suggest the US will deepen ties with the Republic of China, but experts say policymakers should focus on substance and not symbolism.

Speaking at two separate events, Representatives Michael McCaul and Ted Yoho suggested that the US should pursue deeper relations with the island of Taiwan. In a discussion on China at the American Enterprise Institute, Rep. McCaul said: "I think at some point we're going to have to recognize the independence of Taiwan." He mentioned that he recently had dinner with the Taiwanese "ambassador" to the US, and bemoaned the restrictions placed on travel by him and other officials from Taiwan.

But Representative Yoho went further in his remarks over the future of US-Taiwan relations. He spoke at an event on cross-straits relations at the Heritage Foundation with the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy. The chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific acknowledged that Taiwan "exists in a gray area," but the US should expand that area. Rep. Yoho said that "Congress should also do all we can within the current framework of the relationships to recognize reality."

He added: "The fact [is] that Taiwan exists as an independent political entity and a legitimate democratic government...with their own flag and their own military." But he declined to specifically call on the US government to recognize Taiwan. Rep. Yoho said simply that when an "entity" like Taiwan is a liberal democracy with the rule of law, among other characteristics, "You can call it whatever you want."

Professor Robert Sutter from George Washington University noted that the Trump administration has included policymakers that led closer relations with Taiwan in the past. Also speaking at Heritage was Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs Randall Schriver, a noted supporter of Taiwan. However, he did not mention anything about the Trump administration possibly recognizing Taiwan as a state. Still, Professor Sutter noted his track record as being among the Bush administration officials who pushed for a stronger US-Taiwan relationship during that time. Professor Sutter said: "People that want to do things for Taiwan are there...They've been through this many times."

But while American recognition of Taiwan as a state would be momentous, Director Abraham Denmark of the Asia Program at the Wilson Center said that practical concerns were more important. He said: "What we need to focus on...is substance. What can we do that actually helps Taiwan?" Director Denmark noted that after the US makes a big, showy gesture to Taiwan, "China doesn't punish us, it punishes Taiwan." He added that "I think we have enough symbolism in our relationship."

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