A draft bill on protecting Taiwan from invasion is likely to be passed by the US Congress, but it remains to be seen how US President Joe Biden’s administration would implement the act if it is passed, Taiwanese academics said on Sunday.
US Senator Rick Scott and US Representative Guy Reschenthaler on Thursday reintroduced the proposed Taiwan Invasion Prevention Act, which was shelved in September last year due to the impending US presidential election.
Arthur Ding (丁樹範), a professor at National Chengchi University’s College of International Affairs, and Soong Hseik-wen (宋學文), a professor at National Chung Cheng University’s Graduate Institute of Strategy and International Affairs, said that the bill is likely to receive overwhelming support from US lawmakers.
Support for Taiwan under Biden is likely to remain unchanged from that under former US president Donald Trump, but specific policies would differ between the two administrations, Ding said.
China’s rise is threatening the peace and stability the US established in the Asia-Pacific region after World War II, Soong said.
“The bill is likely to pass, but the US would not advance prematurely on issues related to China. Biden would focus on internal issues first, and would take input from all sides on China,” he said.
The US would adopt a posture of readiness with its allies in the region, with whom it would seek to jointly restrict China’s rise, Soong said.
“With 40 years of political experience, Biden knows there is no need to chase a cornered enemy,” he said. “However, with the structural conflicts in the US-China relationship growing stronger, Biden cannot afford to give in.”
“China has already come under fire for its handling of the [COVID-19] pandemic, and for its wolf warrior diplomacy. Taiwan should continue to strengthen its democracy to further contrast itself from China in the international community,” Ding said.
Soong said Taiwan must continue to develop its asymmetrical warfare capabilities, while seeking to leverage its successful response to the pandemic and its strength in the semiconductor industry to expand its diplomatic space.
“Taiwan should also continue to emphasize that it is strategically important not only because of its geographical position in the first island chain, but also its political position as a strong democracy,” he said.
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