Does The US Actually Stand With Taiwan? – Analysis

Does The US Actually Stand With Taiwan? – Analysis

By Siddharth Anil Nair*



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In July 2022, US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi led a Congressional delegation (CODEL) of House Democrats to the Western Pacific. The official itinerary included Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, and Japan. On 2 August, the CODEL made a three-day visit to Taiwan. Geopolitical tensions across the strait and the Pacific have soared since. 


The Speaker-led visit was the first of its kind in 25 years, corroborating Washington’s changed position on cross-strait politics. This article evaluates two indicators—rhetoric and legislation—to assert that new clarity emerging from Washington shows that its political elite are willing and able to make a much firmer commitment to ‘standing with Taiwan.’


Clear Rhetoric


Over the past two administrations, American policymakers have more frequently engaged with a language of ‘alternatives’ when it comes to China. They have also openly questioned the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) credibility and legitimacy, given its repression of the Uighur and Tibetan communities, crackdown on democracy in Hong Kong, and contentious territorial claims across Asia. The most controversial example of such language is former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s call to the Chinese people to “change the CCP’s behaviour,” which many interpreted as a call for regime change.


At the same time, these policymakers have publicly expressed their support for the people of Taiwan. To them, Taiwan’s progressive political landscape offers a unique example of “what a mature, Chinese-spe ..

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