English By Ralph Jennings Share on Facebook Print this page
Taiwan should expect one or two senior visitors this month and an open door in the years ahead following the U.S. government’s decision Saturday to lift its ban on high-level contacts, a rule it had observed to get along with the Asian island’s political rival China, scholars believe.
U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo declared Saturday that previous restrictions on Taiwan-bound travel by American diplomats, service members and other officials were “null and void.” He said the U.S. government had been living by the self-imposed rules in an “attempt to appease the Communist regime in Beijing.”
English By Nike Ching Share on Facebook Print this page
China is vowing to counter a decision by the United States to lift self-imposed restrictions on contacts between U.S. diplomatic officials and their Taiwanese counterparts, while maintaining the unofficial relationship between the two democracies.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo referred to the self-ruled island as “a vibrant democracy and reliable partner of the United States” in a statement Saturday announcing the eased restrictions. US State Department Ends Restrictions on Contacts with Taiwan Officials
Pompeo says Taiwan is a ‘reliable and ‘unofficial’ partner
“The United States government maintains relationships with unofficial partners around the world, and Taiwan is no exception,” Pompeo said as he declared that all previous “contact guidelines” issued by the State Department involving Taiwan to be “null and void.”