Honour guards perform the Taiwan national flag lowering ceremony at Liberty Square in Taipei, on April 1, 2020
US is seemingly preparing for a change in its One-China Policy
Written by Paul Antonopoulos, independent geopolitical analyst
Beijing accused Washington of political manipulation and fostering efforts to change the status quo around Taiwan. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian criticized the changes made on the US State Department’s website regarding information about Taiwan. The amendment, which was updated on May 5 but only caught the attention of Beijing five days later, included a line that emphasized Washington’s longstanding position not to support Taiwanese independence but removed a key line that noted the US recognized the One-China principle.
“The United States recognized the Government of the People’s Republic of China as the sole legal government of China, acknowledging the Chinese position that there is but one China and Taiwan is part of China,” read the August 31, 2018 version of the website, which has now since been removed.
The One China principle is the near global consensus that there is only one sovereign state under the name China, with the People’s Republic of China serving as the sole legitimate government of that China, and Taiwan is a part of China.
Zhao swiftly condemned the amendment, saying: “This kind of political manipulation on the Taiwan question is an attempt to change the status quo on the Taiwan Strait and will inevitably stir up a fire that only burns [the United States].”
Chinese authorities have repeatedly stressed that the Three Joint Communiqués signed by Beijing and Washington in the late 1970s and early 1980s are the political basis for maintaining bilateral relations. Washington’s position on the Taiwan issue is determined in these three communiqués, along with others.
According to the Three Joint Communiqués, the US recognizes Beijing’s position that there is China and Taiwan as part of China. In addition, the US recognizes the government of the People’s Republic of China as the only legitimate authority of China. Washington has maintained a policy of “Strategic Ambiguity” on Taiwan and says it does not support the island’s independence. For this reason, there was a minimizing of political contacts between US and Taiwanese officials for many years.
On the other hand, the US continues to supply weapons to Taiwan, which Beijing describes as a rebel province. However, Washington has never said how it would act in the event of a military conflict between Taiwan and a third party. The only guarantees Taiwan has received from the US are the Six Assurances given in 1982 under President Ronald Reagan, whose contents were declassified by Washington in 2020. Washington promised that it will never pressure Taiwanese officials to negotiate with Beijing and said it had no intention of setting a specific time frame for ending arm sales.
Recently, the US has been actively exploring Beijing’s “red line” with Taiwan. In 2020, US Deputy Secretary of State Keith Krach visited Taipei, becoming the first senior State Department official to visit the island since 1979. This year, a group of senators visited Taipei and US warships have also increased their activities around the Taiwan Strait. In 2019 there were nine passings and in 2020 there were 15. This year so far, US warships have been passed through the Taiwan Strait at least twice a month.
The new version of the US State Department’s webpage on Taiwan demonstrates that the US does not encourage a peaceful settlement of cross-Strait differences. Washington began to reconsider its approach to Taiwan under President Joe Biden’s predecessor, Donald Trump. But now, after Russia began its military operation in Ukraine, the Biden administration has begun imposing new sanctions on Russia.
In fact, the US has repeatedly emphasized similarities between the situation in Ukraine and the situation in the Taiwan Strait, although Beijing has insisted that any comparison shows a “lack of the most basic understanding of the issue’s history.” US experts even point out that with Europe nearly fully united in opposing Russia to serve Washington’s interests, the US can put greater focus and resources on confronting China in the Asia-Pacific region.
Beijing has repeatedly stressed that it will seek to resolve the Taiwan issue by peaceful means. But, in the event of external forces intervening, it is impossible to exclude the use of force to ensure sovereignty and territorial integrity. Mindful of this, US provocation is illogical, especially when it still claims it supports a peaceful solution to the Taiwan issue.
In the world’s eyes, Taiwan was and is part of China. It doesn’t matter if the US of Zion or their pigs says otherwise.
Taiwan shouldn’t be that stupid to believe yanquis – just look at Ukraine or Afghanistan. The US of Zion plan for Taiwan is the same.
Ukraine – “try to weaken Russian”.
Taiwan – “try to weaken China”.
Fun fact: Taiwan’s biggest trade partner is CHINA.
Fun fact: UKR biggest partner WAS RF. Then two coups later, decoupling, selfdestruction, civil war, war…
Good. No reason for the US to push China’s propaganda when Taiwan is obviously independent. If Taiwan was really part of China then China wouldn’t be so obsessed with what other countries thought about the issue.
Actually Taiwan is part of China, it is called One China Policy. It is also a rebel state of China. It is NOT a country. But what these Americans don’t realize is the sentiments are completely different between China/Taiwan, Russia/Ukraine. Taiwan is also not that stupid to be puppet and not as corrupt as Ukraine. They made a mistake with letting that current president. She’s known to be a total authoritarian. Similar tactics that US always carry out (btw, US is NOT helping, but exploiting Taiwan you realize this?) but US can’t win this time either. And I would be very surprised Taiwan actually goes against China, where hundreds of thousands of their kids go to school in China and China is the largest trade partner of Taiwan. There is just no reason for them to fight with China. It would be the biggest mistake of century to go against China for Taiwan and Taiwan woudl lose everything literally. America should stop interfering on someone else’s domestic territory disputes.
The main land is occupied by commies, Taiwan is the real China.
Ask yourself with China has a seat at the UN and Taiwan don’t.
Also, USA is occupied by commies too. So it isn’t a country! HAHAHAHAHA
Taiwan is Taiwan, and it has nothing to do with China… I know what you want to say by “real China”… The Taiwanese don’t want that.. They just whish to be left alone…
Perhaps you oblige yourself with a trip to Taiwan, a democracy with a multiparty system, with a elected president, and talk to some Taiwanese folk and ask them their opinion about the matter you dic*head!
I agree with you 100%, Keith. Thanks for saying it.
You agree with yourself then. The same idiot talking with himself as usual.
die nazi hillbilly
Not only can the Donbass break away from Ukraine, they can also be an autonomous part of Russia like Chechnya is.
Putin should say the same about Taiwan.
I’m glad the US finally did something decent. China has no claim to Taiwan. Formosa was never part of China in any history I know of. The people in Taiwan rebelled against China and formed their own nation. They should be independent. NOTE: this does NOT mean I don’t support Russia. Russia and China are two entirely different countries.
ur history is terrible. numerous invasions kept taiwan as a subjugate state under chinese rule. every once in a while it stopped paying tribute or pirated the mainland enough to be taught a lesson
Americans are nazis—the decayed empire is dead
That’s why you hate them every day
As long as Taiwan doesn’t declare independence what’s all the big fuss China is making? Then again China is an obsessive compulsive country that get worked up over a virus that it created ironically to lockdown second largest city. The Chinese fire brigade strikes again.
Taiwan should buy bayraktar drones so we see how a sovereign country reacts when someone sells weapon to their enemys and show Putin how it’s done.
Not too the Pope of Hope on a Rope, it’s not The universe is his.
Taiwan aka Formosa is of course a part of China. Everyone with any semblance of an education knows that apart from the retards running USSAN “foreign policy.”
Just like half of USSA was and now again is part of Mexico. All the lies and treachery and illegal invasion of 1847 doesn’t change facts. Perhaps that’s why the only southern border in USSA is the one in the heads of the redneck Slumvillains who have no more history in their noodles than what they saw yesterday on their latest Hollyweird Drug Show.
taiwan is next and then south korea. one by one, us colonies will be gone.