Taiwan thanked Washington and Beijing expressed anger on Wednesday after U.S. President Donald Trump signed legislation mandating regular reviews of how the United States engages with Taipei. The law reinforces America’s long-standing but unofficial relationship with Taiwan an issue that continues to strain U.S.-China relations.
The Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act, signed into law on Tuesday, requires the U.S. State Department to review and update its guidelines on official interactions with Taiwan at least once every five years.
Taiwan Presidential Office spokesperson Karen Kuo said the act “affirms the value of U.S. interaction with Taiwan, supports closer Taiwan-U.S. relations, and stands as a firm symbol of our shared values of democracy, freedom, and respect for human rights.”
Taipei Applauds, Beijing Condemns
Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said the law could lead to greater access for Taiwanese officials within U.S. federal agencies, although the legislation does not explicitly mandate this. “It allows us to deepen cooperation and dialogue with our U.S. partners in a more institutionalised way,” Lin said.
In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian sharply criticised the move, reiterating that China “firmly opposes any form of official contact” between Washington and what it calls “the Taiwan region of China.”
“The Taiwan question is the core of China’s core interests and the first red line that must not be crossed in China–U.S. relations,” Lin said. He urged the U.S. to handle the issue “with utmost prudence” and avoid sending “wrong signals to Taiwan independence forces.”
Long-Standing Point of Tension
The United States remains Taiwan’s most important international supporter and arms supplier, despite having switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979. In 2021, during Trump’s first administration, then–Secretary of State Mike Pompeo lifted long-standing restrictions on contact between American and Taiwanese officials, a decision welcomed by Taipei but condemned by Beijing.
The new law adds a structured mechanism for maintaining those policy reviews, ensuring future administrations continue regular engagement.
Taiwan’s government continues to reject China’s territorial claims, asserting its right to conduct independent foreign relations.
Trump, who met Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea in October, is expected to visit China in April, setting the stage for further diplomatic friction over Taiwan.
(with inputs from Reuters)
