TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — As the US presidential election approaches this November, “Taiwanese Americans for Harris” asserted that a second Trump presidency would put Taiwan’s security at great risk.
Taiwanese Americans for Harris is the official grassroots affinity group mobilizing Taiwanese Americans to support Kamala Harris for president. The group advances progressive causes, advocates for the Taiwanese American community, and helps elect Democrats who support Taiwan.
Taiwan News spoke to the organization’s national co-chair Jay Chen about why the organization believes Harris is most fit for president. As a lieutenant commander in the US Naval Reserves, Chen said no president has been more supportive of Taiwan than Biden, and no individual has been more dismissive than Trump.
Taiwan’s security
After Harris replaced Biden in the 2024 race, Chen said the Harris campaign has been “incredibly receptive” to Taiwanese Americans’ concerns. When there were concerns that the Democratic Party platform would not address Taiwan, they contacted the Democratic National Convention (DNC), which added the first-ever references to the Six Assurances, an unprecedented move conveying the importance the party attaches to cross-strait peace.
Some US lawmakers have said support for Taiwan will continue regardless of who wins the election. However, according to Chen, “There is an enormous risk with a second Trump presidency.”
In a Bloomberg interview in July, Trump questioned US support for Taiwan, claiming it stole America's chip industry. He also said Taiwan should pay the US for its defense as “it doesn’t give us anything.”
The Six Assurances and Taiwan Relations Act laid the foundation for US policy toward Taiwan and its commitment to peace across the Taiwan Strait. These frameworks cannot be changed unilaterally, but Chen pointed out, “Nobody thought NATO, the cornerstone of stability in Western Europe, could be called into question, but we had a president who openly criticized NATO, denigrated our allies, and talked about pulling America out.”
Chen said, “We have to recognize that Trump is not just a leader of the Republican Party, but a leader of a cult of personality.” “He has changed the Republican Party from one of strong interventionism into isolationism,” he added.
“We should not put it past him that he could completely upend accepted treaties and agreements like the Taiwan Relations Act or the Six Assurances,” according to Chen. “None of that should be taken for granted because all it takes is a majority of votes to get legislation passed.”
Republicans have a majority in the House, and they could win a majority in the upcoming Senate races. Chen warned, “If Trump gets elected again, there won't be a Republican lawmaker that won't do as he says, or dares to stand up to him.”
The former president threatened to withdraw the US from NATO, encouraged Russia “to do whatever they want” in Ukraine, suspended US-South Korea military exercises to appease North Korea, and openly questioned America’s support for Taiwan.
Trump's former national security adviser John Bolton revealed Trump’s lack of commitment to Taiwan, citing how Trump compared the size of Taiwan’s economy to a Sharpie pen and China’s to the Oval Office desk. Former National Security Council senior director for Asia Evan Medeiros also stated, "During the majority of the Trump administration, one of the worst kept secrets in Washington was that Trump didn't care about Taiwan.”
In addition, Chen pointed out that Trump has over 100 trademarks for future businesses in China, and his first concern is his wealth. “If that means casting aside an ally like Taiwan because it puts him in better standing with Xi, that's what's going to happen,” he said.
Taiwanese legislators
Chen interacted with a bipartisan delegation of Taiwanese lawmakers at the DNC in Chicago on Aug. 19-22. He said the Taiwanese delegation was interested in Harris' stance on Taiwan, her attitude toward China, and when Taiwan would receive the US weapons it had purchased.
Asked about Taiwanese legislators’ biggest takeaway from the convention, Chen said he hoped it was that “a vote for Harris is a vote for security.” He said it is a vote for the continuation of international agreements and Taiwan’s security.
“They're very diplomatic. They also attended the Republican convention,” Chen said about the Taiwanese legislators. “But I think deep down they do understand that just because Trump might be bellicose, launch these trade wars with China, and say all the right things, it doesn't necessarily mean he has Taiwan's interests at heart.”
Chen also pointed out that Trump's trade war with China did not make Taiwan more secure. It increased costs for US producers and consumers and sacrificed nearly a quarter million jobs, per a US-China Business Council report.
US Democratic Party
Beyond the candidates, Chen said the Democratic Party is “the most natural ally to a democracy like Taiwan, because we truly want to see democracies thrive.” In contrast, Republicans blocked US aid to Ukraine and participated in the near overthrow of their democracy on Jan. 6, 2021 when Trump lost the election, he said.
As an example of Democrats’ commitment to Taiwan, Chen recalled former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit in 2022, which set the stage for more official visits and open relations with Taipei. He also mentioned Biden’s passage of the CHIPS Act, which integrated the US and Taiwan economies, allowing Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) to build fabs and support US domestic chip production. Republicans voted against the bill.
“Time and time again, the Democratic Party has shown that it's willing to put its words into action and strengthen ties with Taiwan,” Chen said. He said voters can rest assured that Harris will uphold the rules-based international order and respect for allies, and “in no case will she abandon Taiwan.”
