President Donald Trump’s suggestion that US arms sales to Taiwan could be a bargaining chip with China has sparked alarm around the world, but in Taipei, people told AFP the situation was out of their control.
A week after Trump’s comments on Fox News and aboard Air Force One, feverish speculation has erupted over whether decades of US policy on the Democratic island have been reversed.
While the United States switched official diplomatic relations from Taipei to Beijing nearly 50 years ago, Washington is Taipei’s most important security supporter.
Although Taiwanese government officials have been anxiously awaiting Trump’s decision on the latest weapons package, people on the streets of Taipei were calm.
Nicole Lee, a 46-year-old nurse, said she did not put much stock in Taiwan’s military equipment in a war against China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has threatened to use force to seize it.
“Even if they give us weapons, if we really had to use force against (China), I don’t think there would be much we could do,” she said.
Delivery driver Ben Wu, 41, echoed those comments, likening US arms sales to Taiwan to a “protection tariff” and noting that even with “the best weapons it would still be very difficult to win” against China.
Taiwan has spent many billions of dollars buying fighter jets, high-tech missiles and drones from the United States to bolster its defenses against a possible attack from China.
Trump ‘totally unbelievable’
Still, Taipei has sought to remind Trump of US commitments under the Taiwan Relations Act, which was passed by the US Congress in 1979 and requires the United States to provide arms to Taiwan.
US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, have insisted that nothing about US policy towards Taiwan has changed.
Cynthia Kuo, a 29-year-old elementary school teacher, said Trump was “the type of person who says whatever comes to mind.”
“So I think whatever decisions he makes, he only makes them if he thinks they’re good for the United States,” she said.
“He will not consider other countries.”
A 78-year-old retiree, who spoke on condition that her name not be used, said the only thing she was certain of was that she could not count on Trump.
“He is completely unbelievable,” said the woman. “I often think that Trump is a hooligan in international politics.”
In any case, Washington’s weapons conclusion and Beijing’s next steps on Taiwan will be decided far from Taipei.
“I’m not that worried,” 22-year-old university student Matt told AFP. “Whether we worry or not, it doesn’t change anything.”
