(Washington Insider Magazine) – Dating back to as early as 1949, the relationship between Taiwan and China has always been tense, with constant disputes concerning independence and government influence. These have notably strained U.S. China relations, as the United States has served as a peacekeeper between the two nations.
The United States sought to side with Taiwan and show its support while maintaining neutral U.S. China relations, as Taiwan is one of the most crucial trading partners for the American economy.
To do this, they recently invited Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen to meet with House of Representatives speaker Kevin McCarthy in California to show that the United States stands with Taiwan in its struggles with China.
News of the meeting inevitably reached China, who then accused McCarthy and Tsai of trying to declare Taiwan as an independent state, and not what they claim as their territory. This further strained U.S. China relations.
Even though there are no official diplomatic relations involving the United States and Taiwan, maintaining peace is important because there are many political and economic benefits for both sides.
To start, the U.S. backing Taiwan helps keep its system of an independent democracy. This helps further the United States’ democratic influence on the world stage.
In terms of the U.S. economy, Taiwan is one of the United States’ primary trading partners, as it is the main manufacturer and exporter of semiconductor chips which are in nearly all forms of modern technology sold in the states.
What happens if the U.S. China Relations Bubble Bursts? Could Taiwan go neglected?
There could be dire consequences if the U.S. decides to neglect Taiwan. They could be subject to Chinese invasion, and China could threaten the highly beneficial political and economic relationship between the states and Taiwan.
An invasion could mean bad news for the U.S., and it is most likely in the states’ best interest to discourage or deter any attempts at an invasion for the safety of the people in all 3 countries to help maintain peaceful relations.
