The Biden Administration's Tug-of-War with China: Opportunities and Challenges for Taiwan

J. Michael Cole

《Taiwan Strategists》 9期 (2021/03) Pp. 39-56

摘要

Uncertainty surrounds any incoming U.S. administration as to its commitment to existing alliance systems and security guarantees extended to small states facing an existential threat. Confronted with an increasingly belligerent China and signals by Xi Jinping that he is running out of patience on the ＂Taiwan question,＂ Taipei understands the need to not only continue the deepening engagement with the United States that occurred under the Trump administration, but in fact to see bilateral ties with its security partner reach even higher levels so as to strengthen its deterrence against China. Although the Biden administration has emitted encouraging signals with several references to continued U.S. support for Taiwan, the extent to which the latter will be allowed to participate in a fledging ＂alliance of democracies＂ to combat authoritarianism remains to be seen. Still, the viability and efficacy of U.S.-led alliances-whether Trans-Atlantic or as part of an enlarged ＂Quad＂ in the Indo-Pacific-will be contingent on the willingness of key regional partners to overcome differences, which in recent years have undermined their ability to implement a comprehensive, concerted, and sustained strategy in response to Chinese assertiveness and rules-breaking.

關鍵字

Indo-Pacific Strategy ； Alliance Systems ； US-China Relations ； US-Taiwan Relations ； Democracy