There appears to be a new confidence in Taiwan these days. The island government senses new diplomatic opportunities and is wasting no time in exploiting them. That is understandable, but Taipei must also be cautious. Over-reaching will only anger China, which is ever sensitive to the status of the island Beijing considers a "renegade" province. Just as important is the risk of antagonizing friends elsewhere in the world, particularly in the United States and Japan. There is sympathy for Taiwan's position, but creating tension is the quickest way to lose that support.
Taiwan's relations with the U.S. appear to be improving in leaps and bounds. The most important recent event was the visit to the U.S. by Defense Minister Tang Yiau-ming to attend the U.S.-Taiwan Defense Summit. Although the two-day meeting was organized by the private sector, Mr. Tang also met with U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz during his stay. Thus, the first visit to the U.S. by a Taiwanese defense minister since 1979 also marked the highest-level meeting between U.S. and Taiwanese defense officials in more than two decades. Mr. Tang also met with Mr. James Kelly, U.S. assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs.
The Tang visit was preceded by the establishment of a bipartisan congressional Taiwan caucus in the U.S. legislature to "assist Taiwan in its defense-related affairs." Additional "assistance" will come from the U.S. Pacific Command: PACOM has invited Taiwanese military officers to attend a 12-week course on security matters at the Asia-Pacific Center for Strategic Studies. Given this background, Taiwan Foreign Minister Eugene Chien's comment that relations with the U.S. were "at their best in 30 years" is hard to contest. Mr. Chien is reportedly planning a visit to the U.S., as is former Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui.