The US State Department released new guidelines on Friday, that will enable the US officials to communicate more openly with Taiwanese officials, a move that deepens ties with Taipei, in the face of increased Chinese military activity across the island.
In a tweet, State Department spokesman Ned Price said, “These new guidelines liberalise advice on ties with Taiwan, consistent with our unofficial ties.”
Former Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo announced the removal of prohibitions on relations between the US officials and their Taiwanese colleagues just days before former President Donald Trump’s presidency ended in January.
The new guidelines, according to Price, were developed in response to a congressionally approved evaluation and would “provide clarification within the Executive Branch on successful enforcement of our ‘one China’ strategy” — a nod to the long-standing US policy of officially recognising Beijing rather than Taipei.
The new rules, according to another State Department spokesperson, indicated that working-level meetings with Taiwanese officials were now encouraged in federal buildings, and could even take place at Taiwan’s representative office.
He said, “Those meetings were banned under previous directives.”
The US officials will also be allowed to attend gatherings at Twin Oaks, a Washington estate that acted as the home of Taiwan’s ambassador until the United States transferred diplomatic recognition to Beijing in 1979, according to a storey on the Financial Times website shortly before Price’s announcement.
However, a US official was quoted as saying that certain “guard rails” will remain in place, such as not allowing officials to attend functions at Twin Oaks on major Taiwanese holidays, which might confuse the US “One-China” strategy.
The Taiwanese embassy in Washington applauded the change, saying it “substantially reflects the strengthening of relations between Taiwan and the United States.”
It was noted that it came at a time of growing cooperation in areas like public health, economics, and regional defence, and that it had bipartisan support in the US.
The declaration by the State Department comes at a time when tensions over Taiwan, which China considers as its own, are at an all-time high. Taiwan has protested about repeated missions by China’s air force near the island in recent months.
The White House said on Friday that it was keeping a close eye on escalated Chinese military activity in the Taiwan Strait, and that Beijing’s recent actions might destabilise the area.
Taiwan is China’s most important territorial problem and a source of friction with the United States, which is mandated by treaty to provide the island with self-defense capabilities.
China claims the US is collaborating with Taiwan to undermine Beijing and supporting those who want Taiwan to declare formal independence.
