The Perennial Taiwan Question: Same Script, Different Cast
THE CLAIM: China’s Foreign Ministry reports Xi Jinping urged US President Donald Trump to be “prudent” regarding arms sales to Taiwan, emphasizing Taiwan as “the most important issue” in US-China relations and stating China “will never allow Taiwan to be separated.” Hours later, Taiwan’s president affirmed ties with Washington were “rock solid.” THE EVIDENCE: The 'One China' policy, acknowledged
by the US since 1979, officially recognizes the People's Republic of China's (PRC) claim over Taiwan but simultaneously maintains unofficial relations with Taiwan through the American Institute in Taiwan (established 1979) and significant arms sales via the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) of 1979. This dual approach allows Washington to acknowledge Beijing while strategically arming Taipei. In 2020
alone, the US approved over $5 billion in arms sales to Taiwan, a figure that continued to rise in subsequent years. This includes, for example, the $1.1 billion sale of 66 F-16 C/D fighter jets in 2019 under the previous administration, reflecting a consistent, bipartisan strategy. THE CONTRADICTIONS: The US position operates in a state of deliberate ambiguity. On one hand, it acknowledges the
PRC’s claim. On the other, it reserves the right, via the TRA, to provide Taiwan with defensive weapons. This creates a policy where Taiwan is simultaneously considered part of 'One China' yet robustly armed against it. This contradiction is not a flaw; it is the policy. It enables the US to maintain strategic leverage against the PRC while technically adhering to diplomatic agreements. The 'rock