Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Withering US strategic ambiguity

Bill Sharp

As the US’ Indo-Pacific strategy evolves, the notion of strategic ambiguity, which has guided the US-Taiwan relationship since the mid-1950s, is withering.

After the Taiwan Strait crisis of 1954-1955, the US brought into force the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) with Taiwan. The treaty was never intended to be a war-fighting pact. It was designed to boost Taiwan’s morale and to tie the hands of former president Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石), who was scheming to involve the US in his attempts to return to China.

Beijing’s travel ban has other motives

Honda Chen 陳鴻達

China’s announcement that it would ban independent travelers visiting Taiwan is generally seen as an attempt to influence next year’s presidential election by triggering discontent among businesses catering to tourists.

Perhaps Beijing has something additional in mind, such as preventing Chinese from witnessing a democratic election and becoming “contaminated” with the spirit of democracy.

The limited number of cross-strait exchanges China allows adds to the pressure of the travel ban.

China destabilizing Indo-Pacific: Pentagon chief

Taiwan Tati Cultural & Educational Foundation

A Chinese Xian H-6 bomber flies in Japanese airspace on July 23.
Photo: EPA-EFE / Japanese Defense Ministry

China is destabilizing the Indo-Pacific region, US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said yesterday, accusing Beijing of predatory economics, intellectual property theft and “weaponizing the global commons.”

China using local ‘agents’ to spread misinformation online: institute

Taipei Times

The logo for the Institute for National Defense and Security Research is pictured in an undated photograph.
Photo: Tu Chu-min, Taipei Times

China is using local “agents” and intermediary organizations as a front in its cyberwarfare efforts against Taiwan, the Institute for National Defense and Security Research said in an article.

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