Why Taiwan can feel at ease with Joe Biden as US president
- While Biden has historically not supported Taiwan’s independence, his voting record and statements on China, as well as his national security team, should reassure Taipei that the US will stand by the island
Regarding Biden himself, it is important to remember that as a senator on the Foreign Relations Committee in 1979, he voted in favour of passing the Taiwan Relations Act, which, to this day, stands at the heart of US security cooperation with the island.
Fast forward to this spring, when Biden penned an important op-ed titled “Why America Must Lead Again”. Although Taiwan went unmentioned, Biden argued that “the United States does need to get tough with China” by “build[ing] a united front of US allies and partners to confront China’s abusive behaviours”.
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Biden raised a lot of eyebrows when, in late May, he downplayed the threat from China by saying: “China is going to eat our lunch? Come on, man … they’re not bad folks, folks. But guess what: they’re not competition for us.”
Biden has also said that, on day one of his presidency, he would have the US rejoin the Paris climate agreement, suggesting a renewed area of cooperation with China. Other areas of US-China cooperation could ensue, potentially undermining bilateral relations with Taiwan.
Moreover, Biden does not support any move towards Taiwan independence or any significant change to US cross-strait policy. In August 2001, and in response to then Taiwanese president Chen Shui-bian pushing independence, Biden said that “we are not willing to go to war over your unilateral declaration of independence”.
A few months earlier, he wrote a piece in which he criticised then president George W. Bush’s expression of military commitment to Taiwan. Biden argued that while a Chinese move to settle the Taiwan question through “other than peaceful means” would be “of grave concern to the United States”, it would not oblige Washington to come to the island’s rescue.
These concerns about Biden are valid and should be closely observed in the first year of his presidency. On balance, however, Biden has been quite forward-leaning on the need to defend Taiwan from growing Chinese aggression.
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For example, as far back as 2001, he said: “The United States has a vital interest in helping Taiwan sustain its vibrant democracy. I remain as committed today to preserving Taiwan’s autonomy as I was 22 years ago when I cast my vote in favour of the Taiwan Relations Act, which obligates the United States to provide Taiwan ‘with such defence articles and defence services … as may be necessary to enable Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defence capability’.
“I remain committed to the principle that Taiwan’s future must be determined only by peaceful means, consistent with the wishes of the people of Taiwan.”
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There is also zero evidence to indicate that his support of the ambiguous status quo in the Taiwan Strait is somehow meant to undermine or reverse gains made under the Trump administration in US-Taiwan relations. Indeed, supporting the status quo ensures the security of the Taiwanese people.
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Overall, the signs are good for US-Taiwan relations continuing to strengthen under the incoming Biden administration. This is not to say that US-Taiwan relations will be as bullish as they were during the Trump administration, but Taiwan will nevertheless retain a staunch friend.
Derek Grossman is a senior defence analyst at the non-profit, non-partisan RAND Corporation and an adjunct professor at the University of Southern California. He formerly served as the daily intelligence briefer to the assistant secretary of defence for Asian and Pacific security affairs at the Pentagon