Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun 
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Munich, Germany on February 15. (©Getty Images via Kyodo)
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China should calmly interpret the message being sent by the Trump administration regarding cross-Strait relations with Taiwan.
The United States Department of State has updated its website fact sheet on US-Taiwan relations. Specifically, it removed the phrase "We do not support Taiwan independence."
The website has also added language expressing staunch support for Taiwan's participation in international organizations. Taipei has been blocked from participating due to pressure from China.
Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs lauded the move, saying it "welcomes the active stance and support for Taiwan-US relations."
Meanwhile, China, which considers Taiwan as its "inalienable territory," reacted sharply. A foreign ministry spokesperson accused Washington of "serious regression in its position on the Taiwan issue" and called for the US to "immediately correct this mistake."
Bipartisan Perspective on Taiwan
Similar wording was removed in 2022 under the previous Biden administration. However, afterward, it was restored following a backlash from the Chinese government.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio sees China as a serious threat. During his Senate confirmation hearing on January 15, Rubio expressed a sense of crisis, warning that China was preparing to invade Taiwan and, "unless something dramatic changes…we're going to have to deal with this before the end of this decade."
He also emphasized the importance of deterrence, arguing that the way to prevent a Chinese invasion is to make Beijing "conclude that the costs of intervening in Taiwan are too high."
After taking office, Rubio held a telephone conversation with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. In the call, Rubio criticized the Chinese military's "coercive actions" in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea.
The Chinese military recently conducted military exercises around Taiwan. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has stepped up its efforts to contain China, viewing its coercive behavior as having reached a dangerous level.
Its latest update to the State Department's website probably has the same objective. The Trump administration is not aiming for "Taiwan independence."
Deterring Coercion in Favor of Peace
Regarding the issue of China and Taiwan, the website states, "We expect cross-Strait differences to be resolved by peaceful means, free from coercion, in a manner acceptable to the people on both sides of the Strait." This is clearer than the equivalent statement posted during the Biden administration.
China considers the Lai Ching-te administration in Taiwan, which rejects annexation by China, to be an "independence faction." There is a risk that China will step up its interference in Taiwan and unilaterally attempt to change the status quo under the pretext of removing the current government. The Trump administration's stance of not overlooking such attempts is also apparent.
China must not precipitate war in East Asia by attempting to change the status quo by force. Rather, Beijing should strive for peaceful dialogue.
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Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun
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