Taiwan’s East and South China Sea Policies and the US Factor

Abstract

During President Chiang Kai-shek’s years in Taiwan, he was always thinking of returning to the Mainland by various means, but he was not able to fulfill his dreams without US support. If Chiang had only paid attention to Taiwan and the Pescadores, he might have had different visions in the South and East China Seas. However, it was not too late for Chiang to deploy his troops on Taiping and Tungsha Islands and to successfully finalize oil contracts with US corporations before the Okinawa Reversion Treaty was signed. The ROC even persuaded the Nixon administration to maintain its ambiguous position regarding the legal status of the Diaoyutai/Senkaku Islands.

The “China factor” invariably plays a role in Taiwan’s policy consideration towards the South and East China Seas. When cross-Strait relations are improving, Taiwan and the PRC tend to develop a shared objective to promote territorial claims on behalf of China. When relations deteriorate, the chance of bilateral cooperation lessens. For Taiwan to avoid waging a two-front battle, one in the Taiwan Strait and the other in the East China Sea or in the South China Sea, leaders in Taipei have had little choice but to side with the USA and welcome the rebalancing strategy and the strengthening of US–Japan defense cooperation related to Taiwan’s national defense.