Page 15 - Rethinking China Policy

Rethinking China Policy

This was converted to the “one China policy” at the end of the Carter Administration where Carter severed
diplomatic relations with Taiwan and recognized the PRC as the sole legitimate government of China. Reagan
came to office and rearmed the Shanghai Communiqué.

But Carter’s policy was also forged in the time of battling what is now the non-existent Soviet Union and
before China turned into a military power seeking to assert that power deep into the region.

It is time to exit the Madame Tussaud museum of policy initiatives and shape a Taiwan policy for the
st
21 century, which is part of a broader deterrent strategy.
Both the technology available to the United States and the policy shifts of core allies in the Pacific are
enabling the forging of a deterrence in depth strategy.

As Japan has focused on its extended defense, Australia upon the integration of its forces with a capability
also for the extended defense of Australia and with U.S. forces focus on shaping a force to operate over the
extended ranges of the Pacific, now is the time for a serious rebooting of the role of Taiwan in extended
Pacific defense and security.

As then MARFORPAC Commander, Lt. General Robling put it with regard to deterrence in depth:

“I like the term deterrence in depth because that’s exactly what it is.
It’s not always about defense in depth.

It’s about deterring and influencing others behavior so they can contribute to the region’s stability, both
economically and militarily, in an environment where everyone conforms to the rule of law and international
norms.”

http://www.sldinfo.com/the-distributed-laydown-in-the-pacific-and-deterrence-in-depth-lt-general-robling-
discusses-the-evolution-of-the-usn-usmc-team-in-the-pacific/

Page 14