Taiwan

“Strategic ambiguity” does not accurately describe the US policy on Taiwan that has been executed by successive Republican and Democratic administrations over the past 40-some years. A better description would be “strategic tacitness.”

Taiwan and the US should develop a policy for if, and when, tensions with the People’s Republic of China escalate. For Taiwan, the opportunities of COVID-19 present the perfect time to do so.

The reelection of President Tsai Ing-wen matters because the people’s voices were heard, and they signaled to mainland China and the rest of the world that they deeply value and cherish their freedom, democracy, human rights, and religious freedom.

While the US continues to support Taiwan, it has been unable to prevent some governments from establishing relations with China. Many of the nations that maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan are located in Latin America and the Caribbean, two regions where the US has plenty of allies and partners. So as we discuss Taipei’s future in the Western Hemisphere, we must discuss what Washington can (realistically) do to help its ally.

This week, as the US State Department hosted its second annual Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, it was good to…