[Correspondent Column] China's 'Principle' vs. America's 'Policy'

US Checks China Through 'Policy' Called Taiwan-Related Law
China Absolutely Unyielding on One-China 'Principle'

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] The United States and the People's Republic of China (China) established diplomatic relations in 1979. The United States severed diplomatic ties with the Republic of China (Taiwan) instead. Prior to establishing diplomatic relations with China, the U.S. issued the Shanghai Communiqu? in 1972 and the U.S.-China Joint Communiqu? in 1978, and after establishing relations, it announced the August 17 Communiqu? in 1982. These three communiqu?s are called the fundamental political documents defining U.S.-China relations and the Taiwan issue. The United States has expressed its support for the "One China Principle" asserted by China based on these three communiqu?s.

Perhaps feeling sorry for severing ties with Taiwan, which had been a longtime ally, the United States enacted the Taiwan Relations Act (a U.S. domestic law) in 1979. Based on this law, the U.S. maintained trade (including sales of defensive weapons) and cultural exchange relations with Taiwan even after establishing diplomatic relations with China. In 1982, the U.S. made six assurances to Taiwan. At that time, President Donald Reagan promised not to amend the Taiwan Relations Act just before the announcement of the August 17 Communiqu?. He also promised not to set a deadline for arms sales to Taiwan, not to consult with China prior to arms sales to Taiwan, not to act as a mediator in cross-strait (China-Taiwan) relations, not to change the consistent position on Taiwan's sovereignty, and not to pressure Taiwan to negotiate with China. These six assurances, along with the Taiwan Relations Act, serve as the standard for the U.S.'s China policy.

Cracks have appeared between China's principle and the U.S. policy. China, which was not even at the strawweight level when diplomatic relations were established, has rapidly grown to the middleweight class. To the extent that heavyweight (hegemon) America is taken aback. Since Xi Jinping assumed office as China's president in 2012, China's resilience has also strengthened. The prevailing view is that it is only a matter of time before China moves up to the heavyweight class.

The United States, which needed to check China, decided to make maximum use of Taiwan. It supplemented the existing Taiwan Relations Act to create a justification for supporting Taiwan. A representative law is the Taiwan Travel Act. Passed in 2018, this law allows high-ranking officials of the U.S. and Taiwan to freely visit each other's countries. Last August, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar's visit to Taiwan was possible because of this law. In 2019, the U.S. passed the Taiwan Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative Act (Taiwan Protection Act). This law supports countries maintaining diplomatic relations with Taiwan so that they do not succumb to China's economic power. China recently vowed retaliation against Lithuania, which approved a Taiwanese representative office, but Lithuania is likely to receive U.S. protection under this law.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Taiwan Assurance Act, passed last year, is the highlight. This law includes provisions for the regularization of U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, granting Taiwan the status of an important ally in the Asia-Pacific, supporting Taiwan's asymmetric military capabilities, assisting Taiwan's diplomatic allies in joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, approving Taiwan's participation in multinational exercises, and supporting Taiwan's membership in international organizations. From China's perspective, which adheres to the One China principle, these U.S. laws related to Taiwan are tantamount to steps toward normalizing diplomatic relations. Backing down would mean the collapse of the principle and the loss of core interests that China has consistently asserted. This is why China's backlash is inevitable.

At the U.S.-China virtual summit held on the 16th, there was talk of the need for "guardrails" to prevent clashes between the two countries. The United States has elevated Taiwan, which had been a variable since the end of the U.S.-China Cold War, to a constant in its policy, while China appears to have maintained the position that it will not tolerate Taiwan's elevation to a constant if its principle remains unchanged. The fact that both countries recognize that collisions may occur between China's principle and U.S. policy is fortunate, but it also means that U.S.-China conflicts have entered a prolonged phase. Our task of balancing between the U.S. and China has become even more difficult.