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From NBC News: China accused the United States on Monday of a “serious regression” in its position on Taiwan, after the State Department updated the Taiwan section of its website to remove a reference to the independence of the Beijing-claimed island.
The State Department fact sheet on U.S.-Taiwan relations continues to state Washington’s opposition to any unilateral changes to the status quo from either China or Taiwan, a self-ruling democracy that rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims. But the phrase “we do not support Taiwan independence” appears to have been removed Thursday in what the State Department says was a routine update.
The change was cheered by Taiwan, while China said it “sends a wrong signal to the Taiwan independence forces” and urged the U.S. to “immediately correct this mistake.”
The U.S. should “stop using Taiwan to control China” and “stop condoning and supporting Taiwan independence,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a regular briefing in Beijing on Monday. “This will help avoid further serious damage to China-U.S. relations and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.”
NBC notes that the Biden administration removed the same phrase from the State Department fact sheet in 2022, but then restored it a few weeks later.
This time, the Trump administration appears firm in leaving the phrase out, despite China’s outrage.
“The United States is committed to preserving peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. We oppose any unilateral changes to the status quo from either side. We support cross-Strait dialogue, and we expect cross-Strait differences to be resolved by peaceful means, free from coercion, in a manner acceptable to people on both sides of the Strait,” the State Department responded in a statement.
China becomes enraged at any sign of international recognition of Taiwan, and has repeatedly opposed Taiwan’s membership in international bodies such as the World Health Organization.
China condemns US policy shift on Taiwan: ‘Stop emboldening and supporting Taiwan independence’.
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun urged the US to ‘correct its wrongdoings’ and uphold the ‘One China’ principle, condemning its support for ‘Taiwan independence’… pic.twitter.com/x3gXfBULjv
— Viory Video (@vioryvideo) February 18, 2025
Meanwhile, China continuously taunts Taiwan by circling the island with Chinese military navy ships and aircraft, and Taiwan posts the sightings daily on social media.
8 sorties of PLA aircraft, 9 PLAN vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 4 out of 8 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s southwestern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded accordingly. pic.twitter.com/A5rtwA2kjt
— 國防部 Ministry of National Defense, ROC(Taiwan) 🇹🇼 (@MoNDefense) February 18, 2025
41 PLA aircraft, 9 PLAN vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 28 out of 41 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern, central and southwestern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded. pic.twitter.com/L61wjuLVzY
— 國防部 Ministry of National Defense, ROC(Taiwan) 🇹🇼 (@MoNDefense) February 17, 2025
The Taiwan Strait is by no means under PRC sovereignty!
Like-minded countries’ freedom of navigation proves its legal status. #PLA military actions against #Taiwan and its neighbors only reaffirm that the PRC is the greatest threat to regional peace and stability.#ROCArmedForces pic.twitter.com/8RUUzoOcrX— 國防部 Ministry of National Defense, ROC(Taiwan) 🇹🇼 (@MoNDefense) February 17, 2025
Responding to an inquiry on the US State Department’s recent updating the fact sheet on its relations with Taiwan island by removing the previous statement that the US “does not support ‘Taiwan independence'”,Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Monday that… pic.twitter.com/1c6mM0c9Ef
— Youth China (@YouthChina) February 18, 2025
China accuses the U.S. of a “serious regression” in its position on Taiwan, after the State Department updated the Taiwan section of its website to remove a reference to the independence of the Beijing-claimed island. https://t.co/BqSU3Orvc0
— NBC News (@NBCNews) February 17, 2025
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