, Columnist
U.S. Copies China’s ‘Salami Slicing’ to Defend Taiwan
Under Trump and Biden, Washington’s strategy has been to take small steps that add up to big ones.
Defending Taiwan.
Photographer: Sam Yeh/AFP/Getty Images
This article is for subscribers only.
Imagine that during the Cold War, the U.S. had pledged to defend West Germany, but didn’t recognize it as an independent country. Imagine, further, that Washington faced severe constraints on its ability to station troops on West Germany’s soil and help it establish its diplomatic legitimacy.
It seems like an absurd situation, but it’s roughly what the U.S. faces with respect to Taiwan today. And it’s a problem that the last two presidential administrations have tried to solve by turning China’s favorite strategy against it.