US Strategic Ambiguity Over Taiwan Must End by Abe Shinzō
Project SyndicateApr 12, 2022
On Wed., China protested the passage of a US warship through the Taiwan Strait, which occurred on Tues. The PLA's Eastern Theatre Command accused the US of sending the "wrong signals to 'Taiwan independence' forces" by provoking China.
According to a statement from the US 7th Fleet stationed in Japan, the USS Sampson conducted a routine transit through the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, affriming it demonstrated the "United States' commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific."
The US' traditional strategy of ambiguity with regard to Taipei must be reformed in light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Washington must stand for freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law in the Pacific.
The US should respect the agreed upon One-China policy. The PRC doesn't want a conflict but it's prepared to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
There is a 7% chance that there will be a military conflict between the PRC (China) and ROC (Taiwan) before 2023, according to the Metaculus prediction community."