The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Monday proposed a revised U.S. government fact sheet that deleted U.S. opposition to Taiwan’s independence.
U.S. Department spokesman Guo Jiakun said the United States “severely counterattacked” in its position in Taiwan and conveyed a false message to the “separatist forces” on the island.
Taiwan and China split in 1949 in the civil war, which brought the Communist Party to power in China. The defeated nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a rival government there. Taiwan has its own government and military, but has never declared formal independence from China.
“We urge the United States to stop being brave and supporting Taiwan’s independence and avoid further undermining China’s relations and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” Guo said in a daily media briefing about the revision.
The Taiwan Strait is a narrow waterway that separates Taiwan Island from China's east coast.
The U.S. State Department deleted the term “We do not support Taiwan independence” last week. Documents on the U.S. relations with the Autonomous Island are posted on its website.
Get national news
For news that affects Canada and around the world, please sign up for breaking news alerts that were sent directly to you at the time.
The Taiwan government welcomed this, although the statement sent to the Associated Press on Monday did not specifically mention the language.
“The Foreign Ministry pointed out that the U.S. State Department updated the 'Current Situation of U.S. Taiwan Relations' page … has positive and friendly texts for us reflecting the close and friendly partnership between Taiwan and the United States,” it said.
This is not the first time the State Council has deleted this sentence. It did so in May 2022, but resumed a few weeks later after a strong protest in China.
It is unclear why the State Department has changed the language again and whether it marks a policy shift for President Donald Trump, who returned to the White House last month.
The Taiwan government is concerned that Trump may not be as firm as his former former President Joe Biden as his supporter of the island.
The United States does not recognize Taiwan as a country, but its strongest supporter and largest arms supplier.
Trump said last week that Taiwan is the main manufacturer of semiconductors, and he has taken the chip business out of the United States and he hopes it will come back.
China said Taiwan must be under control and has intensified military exercises on 23 million islands in recent years. The U.S. government’s fact sheet says it expects “to resolve the differences in ways that are acceptable to both parties.”
& Copy 2025 Canadian Press
