Democracy vs. Sovereignty: The US-China Normative Contest regarding Taiwan

• In Event: Sino-American Competition

Abstract

This paper examines the normative competition between the Untied States and China regarding the Taiwan issue since 1989, and to investigate how this competition impacted security cooperation between the two countries. The Taiwan issue is currently a widely discussed issue. The escalating strategic competition between the United States and China has elevated this matter to a flashpoint in Asia-Pacific. There is considerable research on this critical juncture, mainly delving into military strategy, political economy, and domestic politics. However, international norms are rarely discussed. Initially, this paper scrutinizes the perspectives of both countries on democracy and sovereignty norms related to the Taiwan issue by analyzing official documents and academic literature. We observe that the United States frames the Taiwan issue as a matter of democracy, while China maintains its stance on the Taiwan issue as primarily a sovereignty concern. Democracy and sovereignty are two fundamental international norms. Subsequently, this paper employs case studies to illustrate the spillover effects on their security cooperation. The chosen cases, namely the 1995-96 Taiwan Strait Crisis and Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan in 2022, serve as illustrative examples highlighting the adverse impacts of the normative competition between the United States and China on their ongoing security collaboration. Lastly, this paper provides recommendations on managing security risks from a normative standpoint. The United States should commit to ensuring that it does not undermine China's sovereignty, while China should pledge not to intervene the democratic system in Taiwan.

Author

• Jinrui Liu, Yunnan University