Popescu, IonutMalcom, Alexia2023-02-132023-02-132022-12Malcom, A. (2022). The United States' next move in the China-Taiwan conflict: The argument for a conditional commitment (Unpublished thesis). Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas.https://hdl.handle.net/10877/16469This thesis examines the United States’ role regarding the potential Chinese invasion of the island of Taiwan. By examining this ongoing case, I recount the history between the three nations that has led to the start of this conflict. Then, I discuss the three major policy options being debated by scholars today—maintaining the status quo of strategic ambiguity, abandoning all defense commitments to Taiwan, and taking a stance of strategic clarity on the situation. This thesis then advocates for a fourth position that I argue the United States should take, a conditional commitment. My main research method to do so is literature reviews of the most renowned scholars on the topics, as well as an in-depth examination of a conditional commitment in practice today with South Korea. In order to make my argument, I address topics such as the legality of defending Taiwan and the reality of a war against China. Despite these risks, I conclude that Taiwan is worth defending due to the moral and strategic interests of the United States.Text71 pages1 file (.pdf)enChinaTaiwanHonors College