Our leaders have been surprisingly expressive in signaling U.S. military support for the defense of Taiwan.
Ironic, considering that official U.S. policy is dubbed “strategic ambiguity,” meaning we don’t say one way or the other about our defensive intentions for helping the island nation against a regularly threatened and rehearsed-for Chinese invasion or naval blockade.
Four separate times during his term, however, former President Joe Biden publicly pledged American military help to counter a People’s Republic of China assault on Taiwan. As for the Trump 2.0 Pentagon, weeks ago it leaked (or suffered a leak of) a global defense strategy memo that said preventing a PRC takeover of Taiwan was the “sole pacing scenario” engaging our armed forces.
Surprising unanimity for the two parties in Washington. But has anyone asked what the American people think?
Well, Humanity for Freedom Foundation conducted a poll, released yesterday.*
Informed that “China claims Taiwan as its own territory,” 82 percent of respondents agreed that “Taiwan is an independent country.” Only 3 percent felt “Taiwan is part of China.”
A 58 percent majority favored full U.S. diplomatic recognition for Taiwan. When it comes to American military defense, a plurality of 39 percent wanted to continue the status quo of not saying (“strategic ambiguity”), while 32 percent of Americans preferred their government make a clear commitment to Taiwan. Only 2 percent supported ending arm sales and adopting a neutral stance.
The above results are thoroughly — and surprisingly — non-partisan, with arch conservatives and far-out progressives finding common ground to defend Asia’s freest society against the world’s most maniacal totalitarian state.
Could the specter of a future dictated by the Chinese Communist Party be bringing the world closer together?
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
* In full disclosure, I’m on HFF’s board of directors. As for the national poll, it had 800 respondents, giving the results a 3.5 percent margin of error with a 95 percent confidence level. Full results are here.
Illustration created with Krea and Firefly
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5 replies on “An Independent Nation”
The positive effect of American propaganda is on full display with its largely brain dead citizens. We talk and bluster profusely, but we will do nothing. Time to control what we can in America, not the South China Sea.
Even if the US recognizes Taiwan, will it matter? The UN denied Taiwan membership in the UN when it recognized the PRC. How many countries would support Taiwan for UN membership today? Would it get past the Security Council where the PRC has a veto?
I think it is much more important that the Unites States recognize Taiwan than it is for the UN to do so. If we do so, many other countries in Europe and Asia will do so.
I still long for utter withdrawal of the US from the UN.
In any case, bear in mind that distinct nations and nation-states were understood to exist before the UN or the League of Nations did.
If an implosion of the PRC becomes discernible before an invasion of Taiwan is undertaken, then overt recognition of Taiwan will become increasingly wide-spread, regardless of what the UN declares.
Good points.