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Taiwan is not a chip for the US to play with

The greatest impact of the recent collision between US and Chinese military aircraft was that it lent weight to US President George W. Bush's definition of China as a "strategic competitor." The incident also highlighted the two nations' conflicting values and security interests in East Asia, which have led to deep distrust and suspicion. Since China has always opposed the US-Japan alliance and the stationing of US troops in East Asia, it will have a stronger aversion to the US-Japan security alliance after the EP-3 incident.

From the US standpoint, however, China's refusal to cooperate simply re-emphasizes that it is not an ally and further demonstrates the importance of the security treaty with Japan, which can serve as a crisis management mechanism in East Asia. The US is very likely to strengthen its security alliances with East Asia or even Southeast Asia.

The incident has tested US-China relations and impelled the US to rethink its Asia policy. Some US media and members of Congress have stated that the US should take this opportunity to impose sanctions on China, such as blocking Permanent Normal Trade Relations status, opposing China's entry into the WTO and Beijing's bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games and selling AEGIS-equipped destroyers to Taiwan.

We oppose any linkage of the weapons sales to the US-China diplomatic and political wrangling. The arms sales must not become bargaining chips because Taiwan has every legal and logical reason to secure advanced defensive weapons from the US.

Under the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) the US must sell defensive weapons to help Taiwan to retain the capacity to defend itself. Since the People's Liberation Army (解放軍) has been purchasing a large number of advanced fighter planes, submarines and destroyers, as well as deploying short and medium-range ballistic missiles along China's coast, the US should abide by the TRA and sell Taiwan advanced weapons to help it restore the capacity for self-defense that it has been gradually losing.

The plane collision exposed US air surveillance along the Chinese coast. It reflects US concern about China's military maneuvers in East Asia and a lack of trust between the two nations. As a result, the crisis management mechanism in East Asia will come under a more severe test as greater emphasis is placed on it.

Taiwan's special geographic location has indispensable significance in East Asia's security alliance structure. Only when Taiwan has enough weapons for self-defense can a military balance in the Taiwan Strait be achieved. The effect of mutual deterrence over the Strait is one of the essential factors in stabilizing the situation in East Asia, and stability in the region is in accord with the US' national security interests in the western Pacific region.

In short, the US takes into account the military balance across the Strait and Taiwan's defense needs when considering weapons sales to Taiwan. That is why the arms sales issue must not become a bargaining chip as a consequence of the US-China collision.

International politics is changeable. No one can guarantee that worsening US-China relations are completely advantageous for Taiwan. If the US supports Taiwan simply to show a hard line to China this time, it may well betray Taiwan to pander to China next time. The lives and guaranteed security of 23 million Taiwanese must never become bargaining chips in US-China diplomatic and political wrestling.

Chen Wen-yen is president of the Formosa Association for Public Affairs in Washington.

Translated by Jackie Lin
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