China urges US to ‘correct mistakes’ over Taiwan statement
BEIJING/TAIPEI—China on Monday urged the United States to “correct its mistakes” after the US Department of State removed previous wording on its website about not supporting Taiwan’s independence, which it said was part of a routine update.
The fact sheet on Taiwan, updated last week, restates Washington’s one China policy and its opposition to unilateral change from either Taiwan or from China, which claims the democratically governed island as its own.
But as well as dropping the phrase “we do not support Taiwan independence,” the page added a reference to Taiwan’s cooperation with a Pentagon technology and semiconductor development project and says the US will support Taiwan’s membership in international organizations “where applicable.”
Beijing regularly denounces any international recognition of Taiwan or contact between Taiwanese and foreign officials, viewing it as encouraging Taiwan’s separate status from China.
The update to the website came roughly three weeks after US President Donald Trump was sworn in to his second term in the White House.
‘Wrong message’
Speaking in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said the revisions for Taiwan on the US state department’s website were a big step backwards and “sends a seriously wrong message to Taiwan independence separatist forces.”
“This is yet another example of the United States’ stubborn adherence to the erroneous policy of ‘using Taiwan to suppress China.’ We urge the United States side to immediately rectify its mistakes,” Guo said.
The United States has no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan but is its strongest international backer, bound by law to provide the island with the means to defend itself.
“As is routine, the fact sheet was updated to inform the general public about our unofficial relationship with Taiwan,” a state department spokesperson said in an email sent late Sunday Taiwan time responding to questions on the updated website wording.
“The United States remains committed to its one China policy,” the spokesperson said, referring to Washington officially taking no position on Taiwan’s sovereignty and only acknowledging China’s position on the subject.
“The United States is committed to preserving peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” the spokesperson said.
“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.”
Taipei’s view
On Sunday, Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung expressed his appreciation for what he called the “support and positive stance on US-Taiwan relations.”
Taiwan’s government rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims, saying that only the island’s people can decide their future.
Taiwan says it is already an independent country called the Republic of China, its official name. The Republican government fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a civil war with Mao Zedong’s communists, who set up the People’s Republic of China.
China’s military meanwhile condemned the sailing of a Canadian warship in the Taiwan Strait, a mission that came just a few days after US Navy ships made a similar action.
The US Navy, and occasionally ships from allied countries like Canada, Britain and France, transit the strait, which they consider an international waterway, around once a month.
Taiwan also considers it an international waterway but China claims the strategic waterway.
The Canadian military declined immediate comment.
Both the Chinese and Taiwanese governments identified the ship as the Ottawa.
Taiwan welcomed the sailing.
