The passage of the law sparked outrage in Beijing, where the Chinese Communist Party demanded that Washington adhere to the “One China Principle”: its false claim that Taiwan is a province of China rightfully governed by the Communist Party. In reality, Taiwan is a sovereign state whose government and institutions run entirely independent of the Communist Party; Taiwan has never been governed by a regime headquartered in Beijing.
The United States does not recognize Taiwan as a country thanks to the diplomatic work of late President Jimmy Carter, who broke ties with Taiwan to formalize a relationship with communist China. The Chinese government refuses to have civil relations with any country that acknowledges the reality that Taiwan is a country. Despite Carter’s efforts, however, America retains unofficial ties to Taiwan, sells it weapons, and allows Taiwan to have some informal representation in America through its cultural and economic representation offices.
The Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act builds upon an already existing law passed in 2020 that required the State Department to review and update its guidelines on how to interact with Taiwan, including engagements with government officials. Rather than a one-off review, the law requires that review every five years or more. The law presumably anticipates a growing positive relationship with Taiwan that would allow more cooperation, even as the United States continues to fail to recognize Taiwan as a country.
The office of Taiwanese President Lai Chin-te (William Lai), through spokesperson Karen Kuo, thanked the U.S. government and predicted that the law would allow for deeper and more meaningful cooperation.
“Presidential Office Spokesperson Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) stated that the entry into force of the Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act carries great significance in that it affirms the value of US interaction with Taiwan,” the office shared, “supports closer Taiwan-US relations, and stands as a firm symbol of our shared values of democracy, freedom, and respect for human rights.”
“Spokesperson Kuo also indicated that, in addition to Taiwan and the US sharing the fundamental values of freedom and democracy, a robust Taiwan-US relationship is a cornerstone for maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region,” the statement continued. “Going forward, Taiwan will continue to maintain close contact with the US, deepen our partnerships across many sectors, and serve as a steady force for global prosperity and development.”
The Chinese Foreign Ministry responded to the new law with outrage, condemning the United States for failing to obey the Communist Party.
“China firmly opposes official exchanges between the U.S. and China’s Taiwan region in any form. This position is consistent and clear,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters during a regular press briefing on Wednesday.
Lin falsely claimed the “one-China principle is the political foundation of China-U.S. relations.” The “one-China principle” is the idea that Taiwan is a province of China, which Washington does not subscribe to. The United States adheres to the “one-China policy,” which states that there is only one China in the world, but does not specify whether the Republic of China (Taiwan) or the People’s Republic of China is the only one.
Lin quoted the China-U.S. Joint Communiqué on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations, which created American-Chinese relations during the Carter era and which contradicted his claims, as it states, “The people of the United States will maintain cultural, commercial, and other unofficial relations with the people of Taiwan.”
The context of the passage of this law is growing Chinese belligerence in the East and South China Seas, particularly against Japan after its prime minister, Takaichi Sanae, said that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan may be an existential threat to Japan. Defining it as such would allow the Japanese Self-Defense Forces (SDF), which are not formally a military, to engage in kinetic action. China responded by aggressively threatening Japan, including one diplomat threatening to behead Takaichi.
Taiwanese President Lai announced in late November that, given the growing threats, Taiwan would increase its defense spending by $40 billion.
“Taiwan must not become a weak point in regional security. Among all the possible scenarios for China’s annexation of Taiwan, the biggest threat is not force – it is our own surrender,” Lai declared.
“China’s threats to Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific region are escalating,” he explained. “Recently, various types of military intrusions, maritime gray zones and disinformation campaigns have been occurring in Japan, the Philippines and around the Taiwan Strait, causing deep unease and distress to all parties in the region.”
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