Reagan’s memo and the prequel in his note continue to direct US policy and assure Taiwan. In turn, Taiwan remains obligated to give assurances about transforming its military for new asymmetric warfare to deter and defend against China’s growing threat.
Taiwanese perceptions of maintaining diplomatic recognition are influenced by views of China and concerns about aid requests from recognizing countries, with little variation by party. However, party identification largely explains who the public blames for recent diplomatic losses.
China’s economic outreach in Latin America and the Caribbean has eroded Taiwan’s diplomatic presence in the region, but mixed investment results and divided public reception will complicate China’s attempts to cultivate its new relations.
President Tsai’s first state visit to Taiwan’s Caribbean allies was overshadowed by lengthy stopovers in New York City and Denver, where Taiwan’s democracy was the main feature, setting the scene for the 2020 elections—which Tsai and others claim will be a battle for values and Taiwan’s future direction.
Populist politics started in 2014 Taipei mayor election by the non-party affiliated Ko Wen-je. Han Kuo-yu in his Kaohsiung mayor election in 2018 further amplified and dramatized such populist swing within KMT. Such populist political culture even penetrated into the wider society in creating an aggressive and hostile collective political mood against political establishment and liberal tolerance.