US Department of State Adjusts Taiwan Fact Sheet 美國務院官網 刪「台灣是中國一部分」字句

The US Department of State's website updated its "U.S. Relations with Taiwan" fact sheet on May 5. The phrases "Taiwan is a part of China" and "The United States does not support Taiwan independence" were removed, while mentions of the Six Assurances and one China policy were added. Scholars say actual policies have not changed.

The U.S. Department of State's website updated its "U.S. Relations with Taiwan" fact sheet on May 5. The fact sheet describes Taiwan as a "leading democracy and a technological powerhouse" and a "key U.S. partner in the Indo-Pacific." In the previous version, the fact sheet had a statement about the U.S. recognizing the government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government of China and that there is one China and Taiwan is a part of China. There was also the statement "The United States does not support Taiwan independence." These phrases were deleted, and a new one was added. It said, "The United States has a longstanding one China policy, which is guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the three U.S.-China Joint Communiques, and the Six Assurances."  

Joanne Ou, Spokesperson, Ministry of Foreign Affairs: “They stress that the U.S.' relevant policies have not changed. We have also seen a renewed scrupulous abidance to the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances by the Biden administration since taking office. Its commitment to Taiwan is as solid as a rock.”

The U.S. stressed that it continues to abide by the one China policy, but the deletion of the phrase that it does not support Taiwan independence made people wonder if its policy towards Taiwan will change. Former Foreign Affairs Minister Chen Chien-jen said that although the wording was adjusted, the U.S. still adheres to the one China policy. Scholars believe the adjustments were made to conform to the Biden administration's statements about Taiwan.

Chen Chien-jen, Former Foreign Affairs Minister: “This action is actually in line with the U.S.' strategic policies. ”

Li Da-jung, Assoc. Prof., Grad. Inst. of Int'l Affairs & Strat. Studies, TKU: “The U.S. never included the Six Assurances when defining its Taiwan Strait policy in the past. Actually, the inclusion didn't start with Biden, it started with Trump. Biden just followed his predecessor.”

The U.S. celebrates "Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month" in May. U.S. President Joe Biden is scheduled to visit Japan and South Korea at the end of May, and will also attend the Quad Leaders' Summit, where Taiwan is bound to be a topic of discussion. There is speculation that the adjusted wording on the Department of State's website shows an intent to strengthen the bilateral relationship.

點開美國國務院官網，美台關係的簡介在5日大幅更新，除了介紹台灣作為民主領頭羊和科技重鎮，是美國在印太區域的重要夥伴，差別就是將之前的版本，開頭的美國認知的中國立場是，只有一個中國，台灣是中國的一部分。以及美國不支持台灣獨立等字句刪除，新增美國基於台灣關係法、美中三聯合公報與六項保證的一個中國政策。

外交部發言人歐江安表示：「他們強調美國的相關政策沒有改變，我們也看到從拜登政府上任以來，重新恪守台灣關係法還有六項保證，對台承諾是堅若磐石。」

美國強調一直遵循一中政策，不過將不支持台獨等字眼刪除引起關注，是否代表未來對台政策將有所改變，前外交部長程建人認為，雖然字句有所調整，但沒有脫離一中政策，學者也認為這些調整只是更符合拜登政府對台的說法。

前外交部長程建人說：「這個動作事實上跟美國的戰略政策是一致的。」

淡江戰略所副教授李大中則表示：「過去美國在定義台海政策的時候，不會把六大保證放在裡面，這個放法其實也不是從拜登開始放的，而是在川普執政時期，拜登上來之後，這方面是蕭規曹隨。」

李大中分析這個月可以說是美國的印太月，加上拜登即將訪問日韓，還有四方會談，明顯都會提到台灣議題，此時將國務院官網文字，調整為拜登上任以來對台的官方說詞，也是展現一種態度，要強化與台灣的夥伴關係。