FPI / October 14, 2021
Geostrategy-Direct
By Richard Fisher
On Oct. 7, the Wall Street Journal reported that United States Marines and U.S. Special Forces troops had been in Taiwan for a year conducting training exercises with Taiwan troops.
The reality is that the U.S. has been sending small contingents of troops to Taiwan for most of the last decade to assist training for Taiwan troops, who otherwise cannot participate in much larger U.S.-led multilateral military exercises because Washington does not diplomatically recognize Taiwan.
In Taiwan, the local press occasionally reports that U.S. troops have been seen, but it does not create any controversy.
China, however, took the Wall Street Journal report as a signal to try to create a “crisis,” as the existence of U.S. troops in Taiwan would be a gross violation of China’s “One China” policy that Taiwan is part of China.
The United States does not agree with China’s formulation of its One China Policy, it merely acknowledges what China says. Instead, the U.S. has its own “One China Policy.”
On Oct. 7, the Biden Administration for the first time affirmed this, when State Department Spokesman Ned Price stated, “…our “One China” policy – has been guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, by the three joint communiques, and the six assurances provided to Taipei. Those documents form the basis of our approach to Taiwan and to cross-strait relations.”
But on cue, on Oct. 8, the Global Times fulminated:
“…we must resolutely define the deployment of US troops in Taiwan as an ‘invasion.’ The mainland has the right to carry out military strikes against them at any time. We will not make any promises over their safety. Once a war breaks out in the Taiwan Straits, those US military personnel will be the first to be eliminated. Through such a declaration, we must make Washington understand that it is playing a dangerous game that is destined to draw fire onto itself and it is risking the lives of young US soldiers.”
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