Taiwanese Wonder If They’re Just a Chip for <PERSON> in Negotiating With China · Global Voices
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US President-elect <PERSON> tweeted on December 2 that the president of Taiwan, <PERSON>, called him to offer her congratulations for winning the US election — breaking with decades of US protocol. Shortly afterward, he questioned in an interview, “I don't know why we have to be bound by a ‘one China’ policy, unless we make a deal with China having to do with other things, including trade.”
As Wikipedia correctly explains, the “one China” policy refers to the idea that there is only one state called “China”, so countries that want diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China must break official ties with the Republic of China (Taiwan) and vice versa.
Soon after <PERSON>'s interview aired on Fox News, Formosan Association for Public Affairs, or FAPA, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization that seeks to build worldwide support for Taiwan's independence, published a statement:
We at FAPA are heartened to see President-elect <PERSON> challenge the outdated “One China Policy”. Taiwan has never been a part of the People’s Republic of China.
However, Taiwan’s right to self-determination and democracy should not be a bargaining chip. Using Taiwan in any sort of “deal” with China is against the very ideals on which our nation is founded.
This statement reflects that many Taiwanese are unsure if <PERSON> is just using Taiwan as leverage to negotiate with China, or if he really wants to re-evaluate the US-Taiwan relationship.
For example, <PERSON>, a policy fellow at the very same Formosan Association for Public Affairs, was annoyed by <PERSON> putting the “one China policy” alongside possible trade dealings. 871
She quoted <PERSON>, then commented:
“I fully understand the ‘one China policy,’ but I don't know why we have to be bound by a ‘one China policy’ unless we make a deal with China having to do with other things, including trade.”
假裝很灑脫傲嬌 但交換條件講ㄉ蠻細ㄉ
「誰管你啊 ～除非你給我A跟B跟C，不然我才不理你ㄋ。」
如果這句話放在他的twitter大寫的字會是TRADE？？？？
真的是好煩啊….
“I fully understand the ‘one China policy,’ but I don't know why we have to be bound by a ‘one China policy’ unless we make a deal with China having to do with other things, including trade.”
<PERSON> tried to be free and easy, but he is very specific about the exchange deal: ‘Who cares [about the the one China policy]?—Unless you give me A and B and C, or I won't give a damn.’
If his words were put on his Twitter account, I guess the capitalized word would be TRADE????
This is annoying…
As the geopolitics in the South China Sea and East China Sea changes, the US has moved seemingly more and more towards a new paradigm in manifesting its military strength. Under the administration of President <PERSON>, the US government has strengthened strategic ties with Taiwan. The US Congress passed the Taiwan Relations Act and the “Six Assurances” this April, which reaffirms Taiwan's position as an “important partner” to the U.S.
In May, when the US House of Representatives passed the military budget for 2017, there was an amendment that directs the US secretary of defense to grant Taiwan military forces observer status in maritime exercises known as the Rim of the Pacific Exercise. In addition, on December 8, the US Senate passed the annual defense policy bill, including a provision recommending that the US conducts yearly high-level military exchanges with Taiwan.
Though <PERSON>'s Twitter performance has been viewed as a more proactive move to reaffirm the strategic partnership, Taiwanese are still worried that <PERSON> as a businessman is only using Taiwan to negotiate a better trade deal with China. 871