Trump must end the provocation and not sign laws on Taiwan
With a defence conference involving the US to be held on island soil for the first time, legislative approval by the White House risks a worrying situation turning dangerous
Strong support for Taiwan among US officials and lawmakers is evident through moves to make relations more formal. Congress is considering legislation that would enable high-level military and administrative visits and plans are being made for a defence conference to be held for the first time on Taiwanese soil.
United States policy towards the island has for years been pragmatic, but under President Donald Trump, the focus has been provocation rather than practicality. Coupled with a more confrontational strategy towards China, the measures may set Beijing and Washington on a collision course that would destabilise the region.
The annual US-Taiwan Defence Industry Conference is an opportunity for the sides to discuss arms sales, a sensitive issue for Beijing. Inaugurated in 2002, the talks have been held in the US so as not to impinge on the “one-China” policy, the cornerstone of Sino-US relations. But organisers have been emboldened to plan talks on the island in May after the US Senate foreign relations committee approved the Taiwan travel and security acts, which encourage visits by Taiwanese and US officials. They are to go before the Senate and if approved would be sent to Trump to sign into law.
While symbolically significant for supporters of Taiwan in the US, the bills offer no benefits for the Taiwanese. Arms deals will be approved no matter where the conference is held and formal visits by officials will only anger Beijing, making retaliatory measures likely. Such trips infringe on sovereignty, a matter that can never be tolerated.