US-Taiwan Relations during the Tsai Ing-wen Administration and Prospects After the COVID-19 Pandemic

Tadahiro, I.

The US-Taiwan relationship made steady progress after the Trump administration came into office in 2017, with the U.S. Congress passing a series of bills to promote working relations. However, the US-China relationship deteriorated in early 2020 when the Novel Coronavirus spread globally, damaging the US economy. On the other hand, the US-Taiwan relationship has made dramatic progress, including epidemic prevention cooperation and a series of high-level US officials visiting Taiwan. Since the Biden administration began in 2021, its policy towards China has maintained a competitive and confrontational stance in response to the strong wishes of Congress. It has also advocated stronger political and economic ties with Taiwan. This article reviews the US-Taiwan relationship under the Tsai administration, outlines the significant developments that occurred in the era of coronavirus, and analyzes future challenges facing US-Taiwan relations under the Biden administration. © 2021 Nakasone Peace Institute.