Analysis: Could US Actions Toward Venezuela Affect Taiwan's Defense?
TaiwanPlus spoke to Professor Chiang Huang-chih from National Taiwan University’s College of Law to find out whether US actions involving Venezuela's maritime trade could set a precedent for China to do the same to Taiwan.
Taiwan, China, and International Support: Legal and Diplomatic Complexities
REPORTER:
Is it possible that China could use what the US is doing to Venezuela for a potential blockade of Taiwan? Does it undermine international support for Taiwan?
Chiang Huang-chih (NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY):
I can’t say that there is absolutely no connection. There will certainly be a link of some sort. However, if the concern is that this would weaken international support for Taiwan, then that worry is probably unnecessary.
If in the future the US is willing to support Taiwan when problems arise, whether that support can also gain backing from the broader international community or Taiwan’s diplomatic partners should depend on whether US assistance to Taiwan is seen as legal and legitimate.
REPORTER:
Is there a legal justification for China to take action against Taiwan or against Taiwan shipping lanes or maritime trade?
Chiang Huang-chih (NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY):
If China were to begin intercepting vessels entering or leaving Taiwan, we would need to observe how the situation develops before determining whether such actions amount to acts of war.
Right now, the US conducts maritime interception operations based on whether a ship is stateless or to counter state-sponsored terrorism.
But in Taiwan’s case, there would be neither stateless vessels nor any basis for claiming that Taiwan is engaged in terrorism.
REPORTER:
Would a Chinese blockade of Taiwan, or if China starts intercepting Taiwanese ships, would that constitute an act of war? And how is that different from the current situation between the US and Venezuela?
Chiang Huang-chih (NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY):
No, I think it would be more accurate to say that even if China currently advocates taking relatively forceful military actions or armed measures against Taiwan, it would not label these actions a “blockade.” Blockades exist between two states. So up to now, we have not seen China claim that these are blockade actions. Instead, it refers to them as “patrols,” “cruising operations,” or “law-enforcement actions.” China would not voluntarily place itself in that kind of dilemma.
The core of the issue is whether Taiwan is actually a part of China and whether the people of Taiwan have the right to decide their own future.
