US–Taiwan Free Trade Agreement Would Bolster Island’s Defense Against China: Former Trump Official
Keith Krach, who was undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy, and the environment during the Trump administration, said Washington could better boost Taiwan’s self-defense if the two sides ink a free trade deal.
“The thing with a free trade agreement does is, it kind of creates a halo effect, so that you get United States private sector investment and drives it,” Krach said. “And when the U.S. comes in, so do the allies. So we want to invest a lot in Taiwan.”
In other words, a Chinese invasion would essentially mean undermining U.S. assets in Taiwan, Krach said, during a recent interview with EpochTV’s “China Insider” program.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has fueled speculation that Chinese leader Xi Jinping might follow a similar roadmap to fulfill his own territorial ambitions for Taiwan, considering just months ago he vowed that “reunification” of Taiwan with China would “definitely be realized.”
