China has called on the United States to “correct its mistakes” following the removal of previous wording on the US State Department’s website that indicated it did not support Taiwan independence, which the Department described as a routine update.
The Taiwan fact sheet, updated last week, maintains Washington’s opposition to any unilateral changes from either Taiwan or China, the latter of which asserts that the democratically governed island is part of its territory.
However, alongside the removal of the phrase “we do not support Taiwan independence,” the page now includes a reference to Taiwan’s collaboration with a Pentagon technology and semiconductor development project, and mentions that the US will back Taiwan’s membership in international organizations “where applicable.”
China consistently criticizes any international acknowledgment of Taiwan or interactions between Taiwanese officials and foreign representatives, perceiving this as fostering Taiwan’s separate status from mainland China.
During a press briefing in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated that the updates to the US State Department’s website regarding Taiwan represent a significant regression and “send a seriously wrong message to Taiwan independence separatist forces.”
“This is yet another instance of the United States’ stubborn insistence on the flawed policy of ‘using Taiwan to suppress China.’ We urge the United States to immediately correct its mistakes,” Mr. Guo asserted.
Like most countries, the US does not have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, yet it remains the island’s strongest international supporter, legally required to provide Taiwan with the means for self-defense.
“As is routine, the fact sheet was updated to keep the general public informed about our unofficial relationship with Taiwan,” a State Department spokesperson stated in an email in response to inquiries regarding the changes on the website.
“The United States remains committed to its one China policy,” the spokesperson noted, which means the US officially takes no stance on Taiwan’s sovereignty while acknowledging China’s perspective on the matter.
“The United States is dedicated to maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” the spokesperson added.
“We oppose any unilateral alterations to the status quo from either party. We support cross-Strait dialogue and expect that differences will be resolved through peaceful means, free from coercion, in a way that is acceptable to the populations on both sides of the Strait.”
Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung expressed gratitude yesterday for what he called the “support and positive stance on US-Taiwan relations.”
The Taiwanese government refutes China’s claims of sovereignty, asserting that only the people of Taiwan have the authority to determine their future.
Taiwan maintains that it is already an independent nation known as the Republic of China, its formal name.
The Republican government relocated to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a civil conflict to Mao Zedong’s communists, who established the People’s Republic of China.
