State Dept changes wording on Taiwan by STRIKING statement on U.S. opposition to its independence

The State Department has given its Taiwan summary on its website a massive overhaul amid heightened threats of invasion from Beijing.

Among other upgrades that depict a much stronger U.S.-Taiwan relationship, the State Department removed a portion of the summary declaring that ‘Taiwan is a part of China.’

As recently as May 3, the State Department had begun a summary on the U.S.-Taiwan relationship: ‘The U.S. and Taiwan enjoy a robust unofficial relationship.’ The first sentence now reads: ‘As a leading democracy and technological powerhouse, Taiwan is a key U.S. partner in the Indo-Pacific.’

The previous summary then went into Beijing’s claims over Taiwan. ‘In the Joint Communique, the United States recognized the Government of the People’s Republic of China as the sole legal government of China, acknowledging the Chinese position that there is but one China and Taiwan is part of China.’

The old State Department summary of U.S.-Taiwan relationship  included the explicit statement: 'The United States does not support Taiwan independence'

The U.S. does not support Taiwan independence,’ the previous statement read.

The summary now reads: ‘The United States and Taiwan share similar values, deep commercial and economic links, and strong people-to-people ties, which form the bedrock of our friendship and serve as the impetus for expanding U.S. engagement with Taiwan.’

‘Though the United States does not have diplomatic relations with Taiwan, we have a robust unofficial relationship as well as an abiding interest in maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. Consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act, the United States makes available defense articles and services as necessary to enable Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability,’ the summary continues.

China tore into the change, accusing the U.S. of ‘political manipulation.’ Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said the U.S.’s changing of its fact sheet amounted to a ‘petty act of fictionalizing and hollowing out the one-China principle.’

‘This kind of political manipulation on the Taiwan question is an attempt to change the status quo on the Taiwan Strait and will inevitably stir up a fire that only burns [the U.S.]’

In July 2021, President Biden’s coordinator for the Indo-Pacific emphasized the U.S.’s strong ‘unofficial relationship with Taiwan but added ‘we do not support Taiwan independence.’

But in November of last year Biden himself took a much bolder approach, telling reporters of Taiwan: ‘It’s independent. It makes its own decisions.’

Just one hour later he walked back the comment, saying the U.S. was not officially recognizing Taiwan independence. ‘They have to decide — Taiwan, not us. We are not encouraging independence.’

On Tuesday morning U.S. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines said in a Senate Armed Services hearing that China wants reunification with Taiwan ‘without armed conflict,’ but ‘Beijing is prepared to use force if necessary.’

China has been increasingly encroaching on Taiwan territory, over the weekend sending aircraft into Taiwan’s defense zone to ‘test and improve combat capability,’ according to Beijing.

A Chinese military H-6K bomber is seen conducting training exercises over the South China Sea

Taiwan had scrambled aircraft and readied missile defences when 18 Chinese jets violated its air defence identification zone (ADIZ) on Friday. The People’s Liberation Army maneuvers were repeated on Saturday and Sunday.

Living in constant fear of a Chinese invasion, the self-ruled island 100 miles off the mainland raised its alert after Russia entered Ukraine in late February.

It suspects a copycat invasion by Beijing, which has not condemned Putin’s actions.

Taiwan has complained for the past two years about Chinese military activity around the southern and south-western part of its air defense identification zone (ADIZ).

Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said China deployed bombers, fighters and anti-submarine aircraft.

No shots were fired and the Chinese aircraft had not been flying in Taiwan’s air space.

Its ADIZ is a broader area monitored and patrolled by Taiwan in the hope it will provide more time to respond to military threats.

Japan reported last week that eight Chinese naval vessels including an aircraft carrier passed between its islands in the Okinawa chain near Taiwan.