Ohio Senator J.D. Vance stated that due to Taiwan’s economic importance, the United States should prioritize stability in the Indo-Pacific region and support Taiwan, even placing military assistance to Taiwan ahead of Ukraine.
As the Republican vice presidential candidate, Vance advocates for resolving the conflict in Ukraine through negotiations. Democrats criticize this as a “surrender plan” towards Ukraine.
During an interview on comedian and podcast host Tim Dillon’s show last Saturday (October 26th), Vance emphasized that the increasing threats faced by Taiwan and its role in the global economy make Taiwan more important to U.S. interests.
Vance pointed out, “Taiwan produces a lot of computer chips, right? Chips are the drivers of all economies, and it would be really bad for us if Beijing takes over Taiwan.”
He highlighted the significance of the chip market and the escalating threat of Taiwan falling under Chinese Communist control, making it a top priority for the United States.
Taiwan is a leader in the global semiconductor manufacturing sector, with Taiwanese companies supplying about half of the global chip market.
In mid-October, Beijing deployed its navy and armed forces for so-called military exercises around Taiwan in response to Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen’s speech on the Republic of China National Day.
These exercises are seen as rehearsals for a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan. The U.S. State Department spokesperson urged Beijing to “exercise restraint and refrain from any actions that could undermine further stability and peace.”
Last Friday (25th), the U.S. Department of Defense announced approval for the sale of $2 billion worth of weapons to Taiwan. The package includes three National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) worth a total of $1.16 billion and related components, as well as a radar system valued at $828 million.
Earlier, the Biden administration decided at the end of September to provide $567 million in military aid and logistics support to Taiwan, with the Chinese Foreign Ministry calling the move playing with fire.
In the recent presidential election campaign, the stances of candidates from both parties on the Taiwan Strait issue have become a focus of attention in Taiwan public opinion.
Republican presidential candidate and former President Trump stated that he would be willing to use tariffs as sanctions instead of military actions. According to the Wall Street Journal, on October 18th, he mentioned that if China (CCP) “entered” Taiwan, additional tariffs of 150% to 200% would be levied on China.
Kamala Harris, during an interview with CBS News on October 7th, stated that the U.S. should not seek conflict in the China issue. She said the U.S. must ensure to maintain the “One China Policy,” including supporting Taiwan’s ability to defend itself and ensuring freedom in the Taiwan Strait, but she did not answer whether the U.S. would use force to support Taiwan.
Hsu Jui-chou, Deputy Director of the Taiwan Security Research Center at National Chengchi University in Taipei, told Voice of America that the U.S. is currently deeply involved in the Russia-Ukraine war and the whirlpool of the Middle East battlegrounds. Therefore, regardless of who wins the presidential election, they would hope for peace in Asia, especially in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea.