Ignoring China’s Disapproval, US Issues Fresh Guidelines To Increase Engagement With Taiwan

The US State Department has issued new guidelines that permit further engagement of its officials with their counterparts from Taiwan. The objective of this move is said to further the engagement of the American government with Taiwan, which also highlights the developing unofficial partnership between the two countries.

The new rules allow for working-level meetings between the officers of two nations in the federal buildings and also at the Taiwan’s representative office, which was prohibited earlier.

US State Department spokesman Ned Price claimed that this decision has been taken following a congressionally mandated review. It will put up clarity throughout the executive branch on the US’ long-standing One-China policy too.

“These new guidelines liberalize guidance on contacts with Taiwan, consistent with our unofficial relations,” Price was quoted in a report by The Times of India.

Taiwan has welcomed this move and its representative office in Washington mentioned that this development coincides with the developing cooperation between the two nations in areas such as regional security, economics and global health.

On the other hand, China has enhanced its military activities in the Taiwanese strait in recent times as it believes that the US is supporting the powers that want the island to declare formal independence. The USA has called the recent actions of China in the Taiwanese strait as 'potentially destabilizing'.