A statement from the US State Department’s site that claimed Washington opposed Taiwan’s independence has been removed from its webpage has sparked outrage in China.
China said the update” sends a wrong… sign to separatist forces advocating for Taiwan self-reliance”, and asked the US to” proper its mistakes”.
The agency’s point plate on Taiwan-US relations earlier included the word” we do not help Taiwan independence”- this was removed last week as part of what it said was a “routine” release.
A US spokesperson was quoted as saying that it remains committed to the “One China” policy, it said, where US recognises and has formal ties with China rather than Taiwan.
Taiwan, which is self-governed, is seen by China as a breakaway state that will ultimately be a part of the nation, and it has not ruled out using force to do so.
However, the majority of Japanese believe they are a separate country, despite the fact that Taiwan does not formally renounce its independence from China or ties with it.
As well as dropping the word, the brief, which was updated last Thursday, also says the US will help Taiwan’s participation in international institutions “where appropriate”.
A representative from the US’ de facto embassy on the island, the American Institute in Taiwan, commented on the changes, telling local media that the truth plate had been “updated to inform the general public about]the US’s illegal relationship with Taiwan.
” We have long argued that we oppose any unilateral changes to the status quo from either side.”
On Sunday, Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung thanked the US for what he called “positive, Taiwan-friendly wordings”.
But in their regular press conference on Monday, Beijing’s foreign ministry slammed the move, calling the revision a” serious regression” in the US ‘ stance on Taiwan.
This sends a wrong and serious signal to separatist forces calling for Taiwan’s independence, according to Chinese spokesperson Guo Jiakun, and it is yet another illustration of the United States ‘ stubbornly using Taiwan to contain China.
” We urge the US to immediately correct its mistakes]and ] earnestly adhere to the One China principle”.