Commentary
America’s recent moves to decouple its economy from China seem to have found a mirror in Taiwan.
It is not that Taipei’s official policy has embraced Washington’s increasingly hostile line toward Beijing. On the contrary, Taipei seems to have held to a carefully balanced diplomatic line. Instead, it is Taiwanese business that, following its own interests, has loosened its once irrefutably close Chinese connection. Some of the moves by Taiwanese business reflect fears about Beijing’s military intentions. Mostly, the loosening reflects dispassionate assessments of profitability and risk. On that basis, the decoupling movement would seem to have legs….