Asia Times
Date: October 30, 2018
By: Gary Sands

As Washington pursues a “free and open Indo-Pacific” foreign policy under the Trump administration, many onlookers have struggled to define exactly what that policy will mean for those in the Indo-Pacific region. Among those onlookers anxiously awaiting details of the US strategy are the Taiwanese, who since 1979 have come under the security blanket of the US Taiwan Relations Act.

While not equivalent to the mutual defense treaty in place from 1955 until 1979, the act does seek “to provide Taiwan with arms of a defensive character; and to maintain the capacity of the United States to resist any resort to force or other forms of coercion that would jeopardize the security, or the social or economic system, of the people on Taiwan.”

Yet in recent months, as Beijing ramps up pressure on Taiwan, some analysts are again questioning the strength of that commitment, as an “America first” US president confronts Beijing over trade, and an independent-minded Taiwanese president faces rising threats from “China’s aggressive maritime strategy.” Others fear the deal-making US president will sacrifice Taiwan as a “pawn” to gain more important pieces, such as Iran or North Korea, on the geopolitical chessboard.

While the term “free and open Indo-Pacific” (FOIP) has been used in the past by Australia, India, Japan and others, the US latched on to the concept last November, during President Donald Trump’s speech at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEOs Summit in Danang, Vietnam.    [FULL  STORY]