Former AIT head says 'We don't stand for principle' if US fails to defend Taiwan from China attack

Taiwan News
Date: .2020/01/21
By: Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer\

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — In an interview with China Uncensored, Former Director of the American

Institute in Taiwan (AIT) William A. Stanton said that the U.S. would be turning its back on its core principles if it failed to come to the aid of Taiwan if Communist China attacks, that full diplomatic recognition would be a "very risky confrontation," and that the country is a "modern miracle."

During the interview, which was published on YouTube Monday (Jan. 20), host Chris Chappell asked what the U.S. should do if Communist China took military action against Taiwan. Stanton responded by saying, "We could no longer be the United States if we didn't step in and defend Taiwan."

He said that if the U.S. has fought wars for less noble causes such as non-existent weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, it surely could enter a war for a fellow democracy such as Taiwan. However, if the U.S. failed to intervene, it would show the world that "We don't stand for principle. We just look after our own interests."

Stanton said that Taiwan is geostrategically important. He stated that one of the reasons the communist country wants it is to build bases and extend its reach into the Western Pacific.
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