IRI: Taiwan is America’s prosperous and democratic friend
Dr. Daniel Twining, current president of the International Republican Institute, is a distinguished scholar, columnist, and counselor with experience working in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Europe. Once a leading member of the U.S Trade Representative Staff, Twining is now guiding over 700 global experts toward a future of motivated political engagement.
Amidst the pandemic and economic blowback from all over the world, Twining is confident Taiwan will continue to demonstrate a strong partnership between the government and society, and show by example how civic trust is key to prosperity.
In light of the transfer of power in the United States, Twining hopes that recent actions to strengthen America’s relationship with Taiwan will become a new standard of high-level engagement as the Biden administration takes the wheel.
“It would be a mistake, I think, to walk back,” he said.
Twining argued that the new administration “should build on the legacy that they are inheriting, rather than going back to some different logic around what we used to do once upon a time.”
When asked about the possibility of a free trade agreement between Taiwan and the US, Twining feels the US needs to acknowledge that the political ramifications of trade are not due to free and open trade, but are the result of the changing nature of manufacturing industries and the associated jobs. The rise of developing countries in Asia and the recently signed RCEP agreement sends a signal that the US should consider greater economic engagement in the region with friendly partners.
“Political considerations should not drive membership trade agreements that are fundamentally economic in nature,” Twining argued.
Independently, Twining believes Taiwan maintaining a robust, competitive democracy: multi-party competition and responsible oppositions, in the absence of foreign influence, is key to strengthening both Taiwan’s economy and defenses. Twining has argued to the Biden team that Taiwan should be included in the Summit for Democracy, a meeting Biden has pledged to hold.
“Taiwan should obviously be able to work much more closely with fellow democracies on all the challenges that confront us collectively.” He said that now more than ever, “the U.S needs friends and allies that have strong and prosperous democracies, and Taiwan certainly qualifies.”
