Washington: A Taiwan-United States relations fact sheet on the U.S. State Department’s website has been updated to remove a statement reflecting Washington’s traditional position of not supporting Taiwanese independence. The document, produced by the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, previously declared opposition to “any unilateral changes to the status quo from either side; we do not support Taiwan independence; and we expect cross-Strait differences to be resolved by peaceful means.”
According to Focus Taiwan, in the revised version dated February 13, the specific line about not supporting Taiwan’s independence has been omitted. The updated paragraph now states, “We oppose any unilateral changes to the status quo from either side. We expect cross-Strait differences to be resolved by peaceful means, free from coercion, in a manner acceptable to the people on both sides of the Strait.”
Additionally, the fact sheet addresses the U.S. stance on Taiwan’s participation in international organizations. The previous version expressed support for Taiwan’s membership in organizations where statehood is not a requirement and encouraged meaningful participation where membership is not possible. The updated version excludes the mention of statehood, asserting that the U.S. “will continue to support Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations, including membership where applicable.”
Since the U.S. ended official relations with Taiwan and recognized the People’s Republic of China in 1979, it has consistently declared its position of not supporting Taiwanese independence. The same fact sheet previously removed similar language in May 2022 under President Joe Biden’s administration, only to reinstate it following protests from China, which views Taiwan as part of its territory. The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) noted that the changes are routine updates.
An AIT spokesperson explained in an email to CNA that the updates aim to inform the public about the unofficial relationship with Taiwan. The spokesperson affirmed the commitment to a peaceful resolution of cross-Strait differences and reiterated the U.S. adherence to the “One China” policy, guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the U.S.-China Joint Communiques, and the Six Assurances to Taiwan.
In Taipei, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) quoted Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung, who expressed gratitude to the U.S. State Department for reaffirming support for Taiwan in the updated fact sheet. Lin thanked the new Donald Trump administration for continuing to uphold the Taiwan Relations Act and Six Assurances, which aid Taiwan in strengthening its self-defense capabilities and fostering cross-strait peace and stability.
MOFA emphasized that the U.S. places significant importance on enhancing economic and trade partnerships with Taiwan, as well as its international participation, with the recent updates to the fact sheet.