The United States formally solidified its commitment to closer ties with Taiwan under a new law signed by then-President Donald Trump, intensifying a perennial flashpoint with China, which immediately warned against crossing its “red line” on sovereignty.
Trump signed the Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act on a Tuesday during his presidency. The legislation mandates that the U.S. State Department regularly review and update its guidelines for official interaction with Taiwan, at least every five years.
Taiwan expressed gratitude for the new measure, while China promptly voiced strong dissatisfaction. Beijing viewed the act as interference in its internal affairs and a violation of its sovereignty.
China maintains that Taiwan is an integral part of its territory and considers any official contact between the United States and Taiwan an infringement on its claims.
Lin Jian, spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, stated that the Taiwan issue is “at the core of China’s core interests and is the first uncrossable red line in China-U.S. relations.”
The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson urged the U.S. to “exercise utmost caution in handling the Taiwan issue, to cease all official interactions between the U.S. and Taiwan, and not to send any wrong signals to separatist forces supporting ‘Taiwan independence.'”
Taiwan’s government, in turn, rejects China’s territorial claims. It asserts its right to freely interact with countries around the world.
The United States has long been Taiwan’s most significant international supporter, despite Washington recognizing Beijing in 1979 and lacking formal diplomatic relations with Taipei. This dynamic consistently strains U.S.-China relations.
During Trump’s first administration, then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo lifted restrictions in 2021 on contact between U.S. and Taiwanese officials. These restrictions had been in place since the U.S. recognized China.
Karen Kuo, spokesperson for Taiwan’s Presidential Office, said the new law “confirms the value of U.S. interaction with Taiwan, supports closer Taiwan-U.S. relations, and is a stable symbol of our shared values in democracy, freedom, and respect for human rights.”
Lin Chia-lung, Taiwan’s Foreign Minister, suggested that the more frequent reviews could potentially increase Taiwanese officials’ access to meetings within U.S. federal agencies, though the law does not explicitly state this.
The signing of the act came during a period of active diplomacy, with then-President Trump having met Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea the previous October and with a visit to China scheduled for that April.