US vs China Over Removal of "Taiwan is Part of China" Phrase: "Undermining the One-China Principle"

US State Department Website Updates Explanation of 'US-Taiwan Relations'

The U.S. Department of State recently updated its website content regarding the relationship between the United States and Taiwan, removing the phrase "Taiwan is a part of China."
/Photo by U.S. Department of State website

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] The U.S. Department of State recently updated the content regarding the relationship between the United States and Taiwan on its website, removing the phrase "Taiwan is part of China."

According to Taiwanese media such as Liberty Times on the 11th, the U.S. Department of State deleted the expressions "Taiwan is part of China" and "The United States does not support Taiwan's independence" from the "Fact Sheet on U.S.-Taiwan Bilateral Relations" published on the 5th.

Instead, the statement added that "Taiwan is a leading region in democracy and science and an important partner in the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy."

Liberty Times evaluated this as "the first update since the Trump administration in August 2018," noting that "unlike previous explanations that mentioned Taiwan's relationship starting from U.S.-China diplomatic relations, this time Taiwan was mentioned directly."

Additionally, the U.S. Department of State stated that the U.S. "One China policy" follows the Taiwan Relations Act, the Three Joint Communiques between the U.S. and China, and the Six Assurances.

In response, Zhao Lijian (趙立堅), spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a regular press conference on the 10th, "There is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory," adding, "The government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legitimate government of China. This is a universal consensus of the international community and a norm of international relations."

He also said, "History cannot be distorted, facts cannot be denied, and disputes cannot be twisted," criticizing, "The United States promised the 'One China principle' regarding the Taiwan issue in the Three Joint Communiques. The current revision of the Taiwan relations fact sheet by the U.S. is a trick to undermine the One China principle."

He added, "Playing political games over the Taiwan issue and attempting to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait is like setting fire to one's own body (inviting trouble)."

Meanwhile, the Three Joint Communiques between the U.S. and China refer collectively to the Shanghai Communique of February 28, 1972, the Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations on January 1, 1979, and the Joint Communique of August 17, 1982. These form the basis for defining U.S.-China relations and the Taiwan issue, through which the United States maintains its position supporting the 'One China' principle.