News analysis

Washington's move to declassify 1982 cables to Taiwan raises risk of clash no one wants

New: Gift this subscriber-only story to your friends and family

Washington's declassification of two 1982 cables that affirmed the United States' commitment to Taiwan's security at the time signals the continuation of its support for the island's defence in the face of a growing military threat from China, analysts have said.

The cables, which were declassified on July 16, were posted on the website of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), the US' de facto embassy in Taipei, on Monday.

Already a subscriber? 

Read the full story and more at $9.90/month

Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month

Unlock these benefits

  • All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com

  • Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device

  • E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on September 02, 2020, with the headline Washington's move to declassify 1982 cables to Taiwan raises risk of clash no one wants. Subscribe