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I wonder how the current events in Greenland will impact the safety and sovereignty of Taiwan. The US is Taiwan’s most important military ally, even if that re
by maxloh 9mo ago
I wonder how the current events in Greenland will impact the safety and sovereignty of Taiwan.
The US is Taiwan’s most important military ally, even if that relationship remains unofficial. It is also the most critical power in the First Island Chain. If the US stopped being a global superpower, countries like Japan and South Korea might not be willing to aid in defending Taiwan on their own.
- Keyframe 9mo agoI wonder how the current events in Greenland will impact the safety and sovereignty of Taiwan. That was my thought as well. It's a dangerous rhetoric being displayed by USA. "We need this land for our security". Turns out, what if other powers start using the same rhetoric? Russia did it already for Ukraine, China might say "We need Taiwan for our security".. where does it stop and ultimately it leads absolutely nowhere good.
- randallsquared 9mo agoChina already claims Taiwan, and has for decades; the only thing keeping it practically separate is uncertainty over the outcome in various dimensions if China tries to take it militarily. I don't think there's any doubt that if they were sure they could take it relatively bloodlessly and without significant repercussion, they would do so immediately.
- brabel 9mo agoThe US recognizes Taiwan as part of China since the 70’s though its position is quite ambiguous! I found this document by the US congress that explains the history behind the rather bizarre situation Taiwan finds itself today: https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF12503 https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF12503
- maxloh 9mo agoNope. The US One China Policy (not to be confused with China's One China Principle) only "acknowledges" China's claim over Taiwan. The wording is intended to be vague so that each side can interpret the meaning according to their own interests (like China claiming "acknowledge" actually means "recognize").
- brabel 9mo agoYou're agreeing with what I said. "Acknowledges" can be understood as "recognizes" but like I said, it's ambiguous intentionally (as you agreed).
- maxloh 9mo ago> The US recognizes Taiwan as part of China ... though its position is quite ambiguous! I wouldn't describe that position using the word "recognize". It is more accurate to use the official term "acknowledge" instead.
- Keyframe 9mo agoYou're right, of course. What I'm saying is what happens if anyone with any lethal force proclaims they need territory which isn't theirs for their own security. Dangerous rhetoric and extremely dangerous precedent if this plays out.
- maxloh 9mo agoDiplomatic relationships are rarely about justice, because they are almost always about power and influence. In fact, the US and its allies have been the only major powers advocating for a "rules-based international order." On the other side, you have Russia annexing Crimea in 2014, and China building artificial islands in the South China Sea to forcefully claim territory that isn't theirs under international law. Not to mention that all authoritarian states, by their very nature, are a clear violation of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which defines democracy and freedom of speech as basic human rights. But at the same time, the US doesn't need a moral justification to sanction China over AI hardware. It is, as always, about power and influence. The worrying part is that the US is losing its global influence by threatening an ally over Greenland. If they ever resort to military measures, they would lose all influence over the EU, and that would leave Taiwan in a very dangerous spot.
- kayo_20211030 9mo agoTrue. Taiwan is an important ally, unofficially. The folks the US is feuding with right now are also allies, but officially. As are Japan and South Korea. It can't be encouraging.
- jimbohn 9mo agoIMO, China will get back Taiwan without firing a single shot, the US is slowly de-risking itself from it and will eventually make Taiwan redundant. After seeing how the US is "helping" Ukraine, will the Taiwanese think fighting an all-out war with allies like this is worth it? China doesn't have the same genocidal intentions russia has towards Ukraine, so less reasons for people to fight it out Edt: would love some arguments instead of downvotes
- dismalaf 9mo agoMaybe if Xi dies and the next guy is more reasonable. A lot of the animosity towards China is a result of Xi's authoritarian turn a decade or so ago...
- jimbohn 9mo agoThat's true, we'll see if China is able to play the long game
- calf 9mo agoThe problem with Taiwanese (I am one) is ideological, they see themselves as too socially different than mainland China. Reliance on US support, or TSMC as another popular absurd copium, for security guarantee, is not realistic, and any Taiwanese can see this now. Absent other ways to secure its self determination, Taiwan is stuck playing a thin-line game between a crazy eagle and a very possessive panda.
- jimbohn 9mo agoI 100% agree with what you say, no discussion on that. My argument is that, if/when push comes to shove, Taiwanese leadership will pick the peace option given past US behaviour.
- seszett 9mo ago> will the Taiwanese think fighting an all-out war with allies like this is worth it? What example do you know of a democratic country collectively "accepting" invasion by a dictatorship because being free is "not worth it"? I can't really come up with anything.
- garganzol 9mo agoThe situation with Taiwan will explode because putinism is being normalized. Welcome to the dark era.
- kurtis_reed 9mo agoHow do current events affect the US being a global superpower?
- Yizahi 9mo agoConsider the following - Trump has tried again and again to make a business deal with dictators, regardless of the previous outcomes. And since he is in a steep mental decline he is not likely to change his ways fundamentally. He also repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction of having to protect "others" with USA army, at least for free as he sees it. He repeatedly tried to break NATO and break Ukrainian support. I think it is likely that he wants to stop protecting Taiwan, give it up to China and then expect to make a deal with China to buy stuff manufactured on the island with money, afterwards. It would be totally in character for him and match his actual actions across the world.
- deleted 9mo ago[deleted]
- tsoukase 9mo agoTaiwan is a completely different situation with other priorities. It's on the other side of the globe and just one more remote interest like Israel. It's there not to directly improve US's security, like Greenland does, but to suppress China's.