There have been a series of recent developments in U.S.-Taiwan relations, including the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Taiwan on maritime patrol and the first U.S. ambassador to visit Taiwan publicly in 43 years. It is reported that the Biden administration is preparing to release guidelines to ease restrictions on travel between U.S. and Taiwan officials. Analysis suggests that this is not only a continuation of Trump‘s policy toward Taiwan, but also a symbol of the Biden Administration‘s hard-line policy toward China. Beijing‘s reaction to this continues to be intense.
U.S.-Taiwan relations heating up
In early January, on the penultimate day of the Trump Administration‘s transition, former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo issued a statement announcing the lifting of “self-imposed restrictions” on U.S.-Taiwan travel.
The statement noted that for decades, the State Department has developed complex internal norms that limit the interaction of U.S. diplomats, civil servants and other officials with their Taiwanese counterparts. “In the past, the U.S. government has taken these actions unilaterally to appease the Communist regime in Beijing. There will be no more of this (No more).”
At the Time, the timing of the statement’s announcement and the details of its implementation had sparked debate, and some even questioned whether Biden would continue the policy.
On March 28, U.S. Ambassador to Palau John Hennessey-Niland visited Taiwan with President Huizhong of Palau, a state diplomatic mission to Taiwan. This is the first time a U.S. ambassador has publicly visited Taiwan since the U.S.-Taiwan diplomatic relationship was severed four decades ago.
The Financial Times reported on March 30 that the Biden administration is preparing to release guidelines to continue the Trump-era policy of easing restrictions on U.S. diplomatic officials meeting with Taiwanese officials. The guide will focus on encouraging U.S. officials to meet with Taiwanese officials and will no longer set limits on their contacts, the newspaper said, citing a source familiar with the matter. Another source said, “Restrictions on the interaction of U.S. and Taiwanese diplomatic officials …… will mostly be lifted.”
However, the report also cited sources who said the Biden administration would still place restrictions on certain items, such as the display of the Taiwan flag at meetings, or anything related to sovereignty would be excluded.
A State Department spokesman replied in writing to Radio Free Asia on 30 May, saying he would not comment on the internal document review, but stressed that “the United States is committed to deepening ties with Taiwan, a leading democracy and an important security and economic partner. The United States will uphold its longstanding One-China Policy and continue to interact with the people of Taiwan.”
Biden to continue tough policy on China (Photo by Radio Free Asia)
The warming of U.S.-Taiwan relations has been in full swing in recent weeks in the administration, Congress and the private sector.
In early March, Secretary of State Blinken promised at a hearing to invite Taiwan to a democracy summit and to promote Taiwan’s participation in the WHO. on March 25, the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee passed a bill supporting Taiwan’s participation in the WHO, and on the same day, Biden took the initiative to mention Taiwan at his first White House press conference, emphasizing that the U.S. does not seek confrontation with China, but demands that China must abide by international norms and play fair. The U.S. will continue to hold China accountable for issues such as the South China Sea and Taiwan, and on March 26, the U.S. and Taiwan announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in maritime patrol, and two state legislatures in Washington and Montana passed friendly Taiwan resolutions.
Jessica Drun, a visiting fellow at the Project 2049 Institute, a Washington think tank, said Washington is developing a closer relationship with Taipei against the backdrop of increased Chinese provocations against neighboring countries and the Biden administration’s efforts to enlist the cooperation of allies. a closer relationship. “In the past, while U.S. support for Taiwan has been bipartisan, Washington’s proposals have not always corresponded with Taipei’s policy imperatives. What we are seeing now is a much greater consensus between the U.S. and Taiwan on the development of the bilateral relationship.”
“The visit of the U.S. ambassador to Palau to Taiwan is an important sign.” June Teufel Dreyer, a professor of political science at the University of Miami, told the station. She recalled that the assumption from the Nixon and Kissinger eras was that the U.S. would gradually withdraw support from Taiwan after implementing the “decent interval” policy, and that the Chinese Communist Party might move toward annexation of Taiwan. But with the U.S. abandoning South Vietnam and Taiwan moving toward democratization, the situation has shifted.
“Now, when the Chinese Communist Party begins to take threatening actions against other neighboring countries, it causes even more concern for the United States, and Taiwan is a crucial link in the first island chain.” Kim said.
The next step in U.S.-Taiwan relations from “form” to “substance”?
Analysis suggests that the Biden administration’s support for Taiwan is not only an important part of the Indo-Pacific strategy, but also comes from concerns about the Chinese Communist Party seizing control of Taiwan.
Wang Hong’en, a fellow in the China program at the Wilson Center, a Washington think tank, and an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, told the station that the Biden administration’s priority in the first few months in office was to rebuild trust with allies, consolidate relations, and then make concerted efforts to respond to regional situations, and it is within this framework that his policy toward Taiwan is being carried out.
“The Biden administration’s dealings with the Tsai government will first be strengthened formally and in terms of relations, including meetings of officials and the signing of a memorandum of understanding on maritime patrol. In substance, the next step may develop into military or economic intensification.” Wang Hongen mentioned that the next stage worth watching is whether the U.S.-Taiwan military cooperation becomes more superficial, such as inviting Taiwan to join joint military exercises or more activities of the U.S. military presence in Taiwan.
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