The U.S. must not treat Taiwan as an indispensable strategic asset

Washington should preserve the status quo even if its foreign policy goals change

Robert Rust

October 6, 2024 05:05 JST

Chinese soldiers examine a map of Taiwan as they attend an exhibition to mark anti-Japanese war efforts in Taiwan during the World War II at the National Museum of China in Beijing. © AP

Robert Rust is a China analyst with the Global Security Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists.

With tensions high in the Taiwan Strait, a dangerous trend of treating Taiwan as an indispensable strategic asset is emerging in Washington. This risks destabilizing the most explosive issue in U.S.-China relations.