TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Economic sanctions are ineffective in preventing China from seizing Taiwan, Sasha B. Chhabra, a China and Taiwan affairs analyst, argued in a Wall Street Journal opinion article published on Sunday (Oct. 27).

The use of economic sanctions or tariffs as a tool to stop China from attacking Taiwan "must end," Chhabra stated. "Only a credible security deterrent backed by American military might provide a meaningful deterrent against Beijing’s belligerence," he added.

Chhabra rejected former President Donald Trump’s recent claim that tariffs could effectively deter a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, emphasizing that Beijing has consistently demonstrated its willingness to take Taiwan by force.

"Even stringent economic sanctions would be useless," Chhabra argued, adding that China would have already factored in the costs of a Taiwan operation. He described economic sanctions as "mostly toothless" against a "nation pursuing what it considers to be a core security interest." He cited the failure of sanctions to prevent Russia’s occupation of Crimea and invasion of Ukraine, as well as their inability to stop China from tightening its grip over Hong Kong.

Chhabra also criticized Vice President Kamala Harris for not fully grasping the scale of the Chinese threat. He dismissed her assertion that Iran is America’s No. 1 enemy, pointing out that Iran’s GDP is far smaller than that of the US and that its air force largely consists of outdated F-14s.

Regarding US policy on defending Taiwan, Chhabra noted that Harris remains committed to the “one China” policy instead of advocating for the use of military force.