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Change to US State Department website angers Beijing over Taiwan
The changes to the US State Department's Taiwan policy website are drawing strong criticism from Beijing. China sees this as a step backwards and warns of further tensions in US-Chinese relations.
Change to US State Department website angers Beijing over Taiwan
China has accused the Trump administration of taking a "serious step backwards" in its stance toward Taiwan after the State Department removed language from its website that said the U.S. does not support Taiwan independence.
Changes to the US Department of State website
In what was described as a “routine” update to the fact sheet The statement “We do not support Taiwanese independence” was uttered on US relations with Taiwan last week – a position that Washington has long held.
Reactions from Taipei and Beijing
The change was welcomed by Taipei but faced one of the strongest pushbacks from Beijing since Donald Trump returned to the White House. The Chinese Communist Party views self-governing democracy as its own territory and has vowed to one day take control of the island, by force if necessary.
Demand for correction
China's Foreign Ministry on Monday called on the US to "immediately correct its mistakes" to avoid "further serious damage" to China-US relations, which are being tested again by the return of Trump's "America First" policy.
Statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry
"The US State Department's revision of the fact sheet on US-Taiwan relations represents a serious step backwards in its stance on Taiwan... and sends a seriously wrong message to separatist forces advocating Taiwan independence," ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said at a regular news conference.
Concerns about Trump's new foreign policy team
Analysts have noted that Chinese leaders are particularly concerned about the stance of Trump's new foreign policy team on Taiwan, which represents the biggest red line for Beijing. Trump's second-term Cabinet is filled with prominent China hawks, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Rubio's support for Taiwan
Rubio has always supported Taiwan and has previously championed a range of legislation to strengthen ties between Washington and Taipei, including speeding up US arms sales to the island.
US position on One-China policy
In a statement to Reuters, the State Department described the wording change as part of a standard update. “As usual, the fact sheet has been updated to inform the public about our unofficial relationship with Taiwan,” a State Department spokesman said. He added that the US remains committed to its "One China Policy" - a statement that remains in the updated fact sheet.
China's aggressive stance towards Taiwan
Under Xi Jinping, China's most aggressive leader in generations, Beijing has sought to isolate Taiwan economically, militarily and diplomatically, including preventing Taiwanese membership in key global institutions.
US naval operations in Taiwan Strait
Last week, two U.S. Navy ships transited the Taiwan Strait, the first such mission since Trump took office and sparking an angry response from the Chinese military, which accused the U.S. action of "sending false signals and increasing security risks."