Beijing has expressed its outrage following the recent alteration of a significant phrase in a US government policy document regarding Taiwan. The US State Department’s decision to remove the statement “we do not support Taiwan independence” from an online document detailing the United States’ relationship with the self-governing island has sparked diplomatic tensions.
China’s strong reaction
The Chinese Foreign Ministry has accused the United States of “gravely backpedalling” on its previous commitments concerning Taiwan. A spokesperson for the ministry issued a statement saying,
“We urge the US to … stop emboldening and supporting Taiwan independence and avoid further damaging China-US relations and the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait.”
This latest incident is not the first time the US has altered its public stance on Taiwan. A similar amendment took place in May 2022 under the Biden administration, but that change was quickly reversed due to pressure from Beijing.
Reactions from Taiwan and the US
The Taiwanese government has reacted positively to the modified document, characterizing it as “positive and friendly toward us, reflecting the close and amicable partnership between Taiwan and the United States.” The context surrounding this language change remains ambiguous, particularly regarding US President Donald Trump’s specific position on China and Taiwan.
Despite the US being Taiwan’s most significant ally and its largest supplier of military equipment, Trump’s recent comments have raised concerns in Taipei. Last week, he suggested that Taiwan, a crucial player in semiconductor production, had monopolized business opportunities at the expense of the US and voiced interest in relocating the industry back to America.
In parallel, China has bolstered its military presence around Taiwan, which operates independently but has never formally declared independence from the mainland. Beijing maintains that it should have control over Taiwan and has not dismissed the possibility of utilizing force to achieve that end.
The revised US policy document reiterates that Washington anticipates “differences to be resolved by peaceful means, free from coercion, in a manner acceptable to the people on both sides.”