WASHINGTON (AP) – Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced on Saturday that the State Department is lifting long-standing restrictions on how American diplomats and others have contact with their counterparts in Taiwan, another measure that should upset China as it moves. that the Trump administration comes to an end.
The Trump administration has sought to strengthen bilateral relations with Taiwan. She announced on Thursday that UN Ambassador Kelly Craft would go to Taiwan, a move that has drawn strong criticism from Beijing and a warning that the United States would pay a heavy price. In August, Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar became the first Cabinet member to visit Taiwan since 2014.
Pompeo said the State Department has created complex restrictions when it comes to contacts between the two parties. He said these actions were taken to appease the Communist regime in Beijing.
“Enough,” Pompeo said in a statement. “Today I am announcing that I am lifting all these self-imposed restrictions.”
The Chinese government claims that mainland China and Taiwan are part of “one China”. China has intensified its threats to bring the autonomous island under its control by military force, with frequent war games and air patrols. He has used his diplomatic influence to prevent Taiwan from joining any organization that requires statehood to be a member.
Pompeo said that the United States maintains relations with unofficial partners worldwide and Taiwan is no exception.
“Our two democracies share common values of individual freedom, the rule of law and respect for human dignity,” said Pompeo. “Today’s statement recognizes that the US-Taiwan relationship does not need, and should not, be handcuffed by self-imposed restrictions on our permanent bureaucracy.”
Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu welcomed the change.
“I am grateful to @SecPompeo and @StateDept for lifting the restrictions that have unnecessarily limited our commitments in recent years,” said Wu in a retweet from a Pompeo tweet about the ad.
“The closer partnership between #Taiwan and #US is firmly based on our shared values, common interests and unwavering belief in freedom and democracy,” he wrote, making a distinction with China’s authoritarian one-party state.