A very symbolic expression was removed from the US State Department’s regular update on Taiwan. Its past meetings said:” We do not help Taiwan freedom”. This disappeared on February 13, 2025.
That’s not all. The new government under Donald Trump furthermore stated on the same day that it supports a calm and coercive quality to the Sino-Taiwan conflict and opposes unilateral revisions to the status quo on either side. Although these modifications to earlier US positions may seem minor, they are still a significant message to China.
Beijing is concerned that the changes in the , State Department’s factsheet , suggest that Trump’s authorities may be taking a stronger turn than was expected in being prepared to defend or put support behind the area of Taiwan.
The concern for China is that it sees Taiwan as a breakaway state, which it believes may returning to Beijing’s circle. Some Japanese view it as a distinct status.
China has already sent planes to support the Taiwan Strait in the past year, but it hasn’t ruled out using force to annex Taiwan. China claims the , lake between the island and the mainland as its own, though this is , disputed , under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Beijing may be worried that the updated language from Washington on Taiwan may indicate that the US is less likely to have idly by if China invades the island than it might have anticipated. What’s also interesting is why the US is warming up to Taiwan despite how upset Trump has been that Taiwan has” stolen” the US semiconductor industry.
Trump’s gaze on company
Given Trump’s interpersonal, or business-first method, towards politicians, it is hardly surprising that Washington’s updated statement of support on Taiwan’s independence does get aimed towards enhancing US rather than Japanese passions.
Some members of Trump’s subsequent cabinet, including National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, support more aggressive stances against China and support Beijing’s position on the issue. China’s expanding effect in Asia, which challenges US influence in the region, is a major US problem.
Washington continues to appear to be supporting a one-China plan, but its most recent statement on Taiwan suggests that the US does take an aggressive stance against Beijing.
Beijing will have to consider its options before attempting to reclaim the area at this time due to the US’s limited attention to the China-Taiwan issue.
A diminished Beijing?
China’s leader, Xi Jinping, had hoped to win foreign hearts and minds through the Belt and Road Initiative, its international business plan to build an global network of locations receiving Chinese purchase. However, the goal of showcasing Xi’s achievements through financial means is not working as planned because China’s personal economy is weakened by a real estate problems that started in 2021.
The other way Xi can improve his standing as leader is by bringing Taiwan back into the Chinese slide. Numerous Chinese officials have made unification with Taiwan a long-term purpose since the Chinese Communist Party came to power in 1949. Therefore, if Xi was re-establish Taiwan in China, he might be regarded internally as one of the best leaders the nation has ever seen.
Washington’s improved position on Taiwan’s independence and clear opposition to force or the use of pressure make this task even more challenging for Beijing, even if China’s plan to reunite with Taiwan was now a major challenge. This ( and possibly being in line with Trump’s agenda ) could further deteriorate Xi’s reputation and weaken his authority.
prepared for the table of negotiations
Before US tariffs were imposed on China during Trump’s first term, which led to the signing of phase one of the deal in January 2020, the US and China had been negotiating for years. Trump has already announced an extra 10 % of Chinese goods tariffs in his first month in office.
These statements about Taiwan are likely intended to strengthen Washington’s bargaining position in the raging China-US trade war.
Trump accused China of “raping” the US with its unfair trade practices and imposing tariffs of up to 25 % on Chinese goods entering the country in 2016. Trump even went so far as to say that tariffs on Chinese goods could reach 60 % during his campaign trail for president in 2024.
Higher tariffs are bad for China because the nation relies heavily on exports for economic growth, particularly on the high-tech “new three” products, such as solar panels and electric vehicles, to recover its ailing economy.
However, if Beijing is forced to retreat from Taiwan, Xi might have to fall back heavily on the economy to maintain political legitimacy. When that occurs, Beijing might be forced to make concessions to Americans, such as purchasing more US goods, and address how subsidies are used to support Chinese businesses in China to the detriment of US businesses.
Overall, it’s likely that someone on Trump’s team has thought about all the implications of tweaking its Taiwan stance, and sees it as working out well for the US economy and, potentially, the Trump government overall. Taiwan plays a pawn in the game, not a pawn.
Chee Meng Tan is assistant professor of business economics, University of Nottingham
This article was republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.