Debate -- PF 2024 Decovember Neg. (Taiwan)
.docx
School
Cary Academy**We aren't endorsed by this school
Course
HISTORY 123454321
Subject
Economics
Date
Dec 23, 2024
Pages
3
Uploaded by ProfHawk16450
I affirm the resolution resolved, The United States should substantially reduce its military support of Taiwan.Contention 1: Reducing TensionsKhalig 24 points out that China accused the US of supporting “secessionist” forces in Taiwan. After Biden approved defense support for Taiwan, China points out that “the greatest threat to peace and stability in the Taiwan straitcomes from the secessionist activities of ‘Taiwan independence’ force and the support they receive from the US.”Therefore, the US insistence on supporting it with military force will inevitably inflate harm and escalate the conflict. Faced with a threat to legitimacy from the US, decision-makers in China have two options: either escalate the conflict disproportionately and attack, or sit back and let their interests be trampled upon. Throughout the years of US military support for Taiwan, China never backed down, because of two simple reasons: First, it will cause a civil war and political upheaval. The US is bound under the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) to make arms availableto Taiwan and to ensure it has the capability to resist any resort to force or coercion that would jeopardize the island and its people, so no matter how much the US reduces its support, it will still provide some amount of support to Taiwan to ensure it doesn’t face an existential threat. On top of this, Taiwan has massively increased its own military spending in recent years, meaning it is better equipped to support itself. The current US strategy is notworking, as the US is reaching its limits of being able to provide aid. For years, China has cited US presence in the region as the major reason for increasing tensions. Recent US arms sales to Taiwan have provoked China to the point of imposing sanctions on US defense firms, warning the US that they are entering a dangerous situation. Because arms sales and defensive tactics are inherently provocative, some analysts argue that the most effective way for the US to support Taiwan is through deepening relations in other areas. Reducing military support for Taiwan could be a key strategy for the US to maintain a nuclear balance with China. Having a good relationship with China is vitally important for the US because China is a critical trading partner for the United States. This relationship not only provided 2.6 million US jobs but also around 216 billion dollars of GDP (gross domestic product).
Card 1: Link: https://www.uschina.org/reports/understanding-us-china-trade-relationship#:~:text=When%20the%20economic%20benefits%20generated,about%20%24216%20billion%20of%20GDP. Author: The US-China Business CouncilDate: 1996-2024America’s 11th-largest export market in 2000, China has grown to become the third-largest destination for American goods and services. US exports to China directly and indirectly supported 1.8 million new jobs and $165 billion in GDP in 2015.When the economic benefits generated from US investment in China and Chinese investment in the US are combined, the total amounts to 2.6 million US jobs and about $216 billion of GDP.Contention 2: Domestic PrioritiesThe U.S. is facing significant challenges at home: economic instability, healthcare crises, and rising public dissatisfaction with the state of domestic priorities. Military spending abroad, including support to Taiwan, diverts essential resources from addressing these critical issues. By substantially reducing military support to Taiwan, the U.S. can shift focus and redirect resources toward solving its most pressing problems.The U.S. is currently struggling with an unsustainable national debt, which has surpassed $33 trillion. Every year, the U.S. government spends trillions, with a large portion allocated to military expenditures, including foreign military aid. In fact, military spending in 2023 topped $800 billion, with $3.5 billion directed to arms sales for Taiwan alone. This level of expenditure contributes directly to the U.S.’s ballooning deficit and limits the government’s ability to invest in critical domestic areas like infrastructure, education, and healthcare.Reducing military support for Taiwan is not just a matter of prioritizing peace in the Taiwan Strait but is a realistic move to reallocate resources to stabilize the U.S. economy. The Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments has
noted that continued defense spending abroad leads to underinvestment in domestic infrastructure, which could otherwise fuel job creation and improve the nation's economy. By reducing military commitments to Taiwan, the U.S. could divert billions of dollars to the national economy, addressing concerns like inflation, unemployment, and the national debt—issues that directly impact the American public.Furthermore, the American public is increasingly in favor of a shift away frommilitary entanglements abroad. A 2022 Gallup poll found that 74% of Americans want the U.S. to prioritize domestic issues like healthcare, education, and infrastructure, over military commitments in foreign countries. This reflects a broad consensus that the U.S. should be more focused on ensuring a strong, prosperous, and resilient society at home rather than entangling itself in complex and costly international conflicts.Public opinion supports a redirection of resources toward improving healthcare access, reducing student debt, and investing in the future of American infrastructure—goals that can only be achieved if the U.S. reduces its military expenditures abroad. By substantially reducing military support for Taiwan, the U.S. would be aligning with the wishes of its citizens, focusingon issues that improve the quality of life for the American people.