U.S. President Donald Trump on the 2nd (local time) signed a bill to strengthen relations with Taiwan.
According to foreign media including Bloomberg and Taiwan Central News Agency, President Trump on this day signed the "Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act."
The Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act requires the U.S. State Department to review the guidelines for exchanges between the United States and Taiwan every five years and report to Congress on improvement measures that could ease restrictions.
The United States officially severed ties with Taiwan in 1979 when it established diplomatic relations with China. Since then, it has maintained substantive exchange relations with Taiwan, but to avoid provoking China, it adhered to a "prohibition principle," such as keeping contacts between the two sides private.
Taiwan Central News Agency analyzed that the "Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act" is focused on ultimately breaking these self-imposed U.S. restrictions.
The bill passed unanimously in both the U.S. House and Senate. Rep. Ann Wagner, who introduced the bill, said, "This law sends a message that we stand firm against the Chinese Communist Party's dangerous attempt to dominate this region (Taiwan)."
Taiwan immediately welcomed the move. Lin Chia-lung, Taiwan Minister of Foreign Affairs, said, "We thank the U.S. administration and Congress for their bipartisan support," adding, "This law is a significant step toward advancing U.S.-Taiwan relations."
Guo Ya-hui, Taiwan Presidential Office Spokesperson, also said, "The passage of this law recognizes the value of exchanges between the United States and Taiwan and supports closer ties," adding, "It has special significance as a solid symbol of the shared values of democracy, freedom, and human rights."
China, meanwhile, reacted strongly. Lin Jian, China Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, said at a regular briefing that day, "We firmly oppose any form of official exchanges between the United States and China's Taiwan region, and this position is consistent and clear," adding, "The Taiwan issue is the core of China's core interests and the first red line that cannot be crossed in China-U.S. relations."
Zhang An, China State Council Taiwan Affairs Office Spokesperson, said, "The relevant U.S. bill grossly interferes in China's internal affairs," adding, "It seriously violates the spirit set out in the 'one-China' principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiqués (the normalization communiqué)."