By Ying Shan, Vision Times
Recent headlines declaring that “a Taiwan contingency is a Japan contingency” have once again pushed China–Japan relations into turbulent territory. The phrase was first articulated by former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Dec. 1, 2021, underscoring that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are inseparable from Japan’s own security.
Should conflict erupt, particularly if the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) were to use force against Taiwan, Japan, and potentially the U.S.–Japan alliance, would be compelled to intervene. Beijing views the self-ruling island as a breakaway province and has vowed to reclaim it by any means necessary.
In 2025, the statement resurfaced when Japan’s current Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, responding to parliamentary questioning, echoed the logic behind Abe’s remarks. The response triggered a fresh diplomatic storm, prompting strong protests from Beijing and the implementation of retaliatory measures by the CCP.
Why does Taiwan matter so much?
Now, as Chinese President Xi Jinping continues to emphasize “national reunification” and dispatches waves of military aircraft to harass Taiwan’s airspace, the question feels increasingly urgent. Yet this strategic reality was already clearly recognized 70 years ago by U.S. five-star General Douglas MacArthur. After being dismissed by President Harry Truman in 1951, MacArthur famously warned during U.S. Senate hearings: “To lose Taiwan is to lose the Pacific.”
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MacArthur possessed a clear understanding of Taiwan’s strategic importance. After the outbreak of the Korean War, Taiwan’s security became his foremost concern. President Truman, however, did not share this view.
In 1950, Truman declared U.S. protection of Taiwan and the Penghu Islands—but explicitly excluded Kinmen and Matsu. He also promoted the idea that Taiwan’s status remained “undetermined” and prohibited Nationalist forces from launching counterattacks on the mainland. The Truman administration viewed Chiang Kai-shek’s government as corrupt and ineffective, doubting its ability to govern Taiwan or resist the CCP. Secretly, Washington explored a strategy of “abandon Chiang to preserve Taiwan,” a plan ultimately derailed by the Korean War.
Truman later published United States Relations With China, stating that Chiang’s leadership “failed to adapt,” his army “lost morale,” and his government “lacked popular support.”
MacArthur sharply disagreed. He firmly opposed the CCP and consistently supported Chiang’s government, believing Taiwan’s value far outweighed Washington’s doubts—setting the stage for his controversial visit to Taiwan.
A secret visit with long-lasting repercussions
MacArthur’s decision to visit Taiwan was extraordinarily sensitive, carrying the risk of provoking Beijing and inflaming tensions on the island. To navigate this, he informed the Pentagon in advance, but deliberately did not notify the White House, ensuring Truman would not intervene.
Although the Defense Department did not explicitly oppose the trip, it argued the Korean battlefield demanded MacArthur’s attention and suggested sending a senior officer instead. In July 1950, Seventh Fleet Commander Arthur Struble met with Chiang Kai-shek to discuss strengthening U.S.–Taiwan ties.
On July 31, 1950, MacArthur flew from Tokyo to Taipei’s Songshan Airport. Chiang Kai-shek kept the visit strictly confidential. Only a handful of officials were notified shortly before the aircraft landed. Chiang and his wife personally greeted MacArthur at the airport.
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MacArthur and Chiang held two meetings that produced tangible results. Both sides issued statements, with Chiang declaring that the talks had “laid the foundation for joint U.S.–ROC defense of Taiwan and military cooperation.” He added that U.S. aircraft could deploy to Taiwan at any time to ensure security.
MacArthur’s headquarters also arranged an emergency liaison team — drawing specialists from multiple sectors — to provide full support to Taiwan. While the visit significantly boosted morale and effectively helped safeguard Taiwan, it sparked outrage in Washington and planted the seeds for MacArthur’s dismissal the following year.
‘As long as Taiwan exists, the CCP cannot rest’
In December 1952, after his removal, MacArthur submitted a memorandum to President Dwight D. Eisenhower, urging not only resistance to global communist expansion but a coherent China strategy.
He warned: “America’s current misjudgment in its China policy will trigger a chain of disasters. It will be the greatest political mistake of the past century. Appeasing the red threat will force future generations to pay a heavy price, perhaps for a hundred years.”
In late 1963, MacArthur met in New York with Chiang Ching-kuo, then a minister without portfolio of Taiwan’s Executive Yuan. He urged Chiang to hold fast to Taiwan as the anti-communist stronghold, telling him: “Taiwan’s existence today is not only the base for China’s resistance and revival, but more importantly, it proves to the world that the China problem remains unresolved. As long as Taiwan exists, the Communist bandits will never have peace.”
He added: “I firmly believe the Republic of China will one day recover the mainland and become a stabilizing force in Asia.”
Final words, and a legacy that endures
In early 1964, MacArthur’s health rapidly deteriorated. On his deathbed, he grasped President Lyndon B. Johnson’s hand and implored him not to forget support for the Republic of China in Taiwan, even as the U.S. fought in Vietnam. MacArthur remained convinced the ROC would prevail in the anti-communist struggle.
MacArthur passed away on April 5, 1964, at the age of 84. Johnson ordered a 19-gun salute at U.S. military bases worldwide. A state funeral was held in New York, and flags were flown at half-staff nationwide.
Following his death, world leaders paid tribute. Taiwan’s President Chiang Kai-shek personally authored a memorial elegy, writing: “Marshal MacArthur was a brave defender of peace through victory in the Pacific, a wise advocate of solutions to eradicate the roots of communist calamity, and a benevolent force who freed humanity from Nazi totalitarian violence, slavery, hunger, and terror. His great radiance is the radiance of America — and of all who defend freedom and justice.”
Chiang continued: “I shall never forget his steadfast friendship and moral courage in our shared struggles. I was deeply moved by his final wish — to witness the Republic of China victorious once more. I hold in the highest reverence his lifelong determination to eradicate communism and his achievements in safeguarding Pacific security.”
History’s verdict
“Though Marshal MacArthur has passed, his legacy will endure forever in the admiration of mankind, and his spirit will live on in the ultimate victory of the global anti-communist struggle,” added Chaing.
History has validated MacArthur’s foresight. Japan, the Ryukyu Islands, Taiwan, and the Philippines form a geopolitically interdependent island chain in the Pacific — a reality now echoed by leaders from Shinzo Abe to Sanae Takaichi.
MacArthur once warned: “In war, there is no substitute for victory. Those who appease the red communists under various pretexts ignore the lessons of history. Appeasement leads only to a false peace.” At this pivotal moment, his words serve as a reminder: Clarity, not complacency, will determine history’s course.
Editorial note: Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Vision Times.
