Taiwan has applauded the latest update to the US State Department’s official website, which no longer includes a statement that Washington does “not support Taiwan independence.”
The revision, made on February 13, was welcomed by Taiwan’s foreign ministry as a sign of the “close and friendly Taiwan-US partnership.”
The United States, despite switching diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China in 1979, remains the island’s most significant international supporter. Any change in Washington’s official language regarding Taiwan is closely watched, especially by Beijing, which considers the island part of its territory.
An AFP review of the previous version of the page confirmed that the line stating “we do not support Taiwan independence” has been removed.
However, the fact sheet still reaffirms the US One China policy, recognizing Beijing as the sole government of China, while opposing “any unilateral changes to the status quo from either side.”
Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung expressed gratitude for the update and acknowledged the US administration’s commitment to stability in the Taiwan Strait, as well as cooperation in trade, technology, and diplomatic affairs.
The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), the de facto US embassy, described the update as “routine”, reiterating Washington’s stance against any unilateral changes in the Taiwan Strait.
Taiwan has sought to build strong ties with Donald Trump, whose transactional approach to diplomacy has raised concerns about his commitment to defending the island from potential Chinese aggression.
Trump has suggested that Taiwan should pay the US for military protection and has accused the island of damaging the US semiconductor industry.
In response to Trump’s recent tariff threats on Taiwanese semiconductor chips, President Lai Ching-te vowed to increase both investment in the US and Taiwan’s own defence capabilities.
This is not the first time Washington has altered its official stance on Taiwan’s independence. A similar removal of the phrase in May 2022 by Joe Biden’s administration provoked strong backlash from Beijing, leading to its later reinstatement.
China and Taiwan’s dispute dates back to 1949, when Chiang Kai-shek’s nationalist forces retreated to Taiwan after losing the Chinese Civil War to Mao Zedong’s communists.
Taiwan, which has its own government, military, and currency, asserts itself as a sovereign nation but has not formally declared independence—a red line for Beijing.
