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Originally Posted by Otto Harkaman
IMHO it would be a mistake to think we can step back thinking things will return to normal with regards to China and Taiwan. Clearly things have moved forward a step and might as well try to arm them better because the Chinese will never be appeased.
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Things were normal until Pelosi took her tour on the taxpayer dime. The problem with let’s just arm Taiwan so they can fight for independence isn’t what we agreed too with China back in ‘79. When then U.S. moved to recognize the People’s Republic of China (Beijing) and de-recognize the Republic of China (Taipei). Credit is due to Pelosi when she visited Taiwan she was very careful with her words not mentioning or even hinting at a willingness to support or promote Taiwan’s independence.
As for arms sales one of the six assurances signed on 17 August 1982, the U.S. stated “that it does not seek to carry out a long-term policy of arms sales to Taiwan”; “that its arms sales to Taiwan will not exceed, either in qualitative or in quantitative terms, the level of those supplied in recent years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the United States and China”; and “that it intends to reduce gradually its sales of arms to Taiwan, leading over a period of time to a final resolution.”
One can, of course, take a more cynical view and argue, as E.H. Carr had done in 1939, that “even formal agreements are mere snapshots reflecting the balance of power at a particular point in time, and that as power relations change, it is natural that policies should change accordingly and that promises made in the past will no longer be viewed as binding”. But do we really want a war on a 2nd front right now? China is now holding military live fire exercises around Taiwan on account of Pelosi’s publicity stunt. Unfortunately there’s only so many mega rich, Democrats can tax to pay for another war before they start more deficit spending.
I’m all for the defence of Taiwan I just not all that willing to be the one to pick a fight.