Edited translations
Breaking News! Trump's major legislation deals unprecedented blow to Beijing
—Just now, Trump dealt Beijing a heavy blow
Reporter : Wang Duruo / Editor: Fang Xun / https://www.aboluowang.com/2025/1203/2314572.html, https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/politics/breakingnews/5265882 / Images : Reuters, File photo
On 2 December 2025, U.S. President Trump officially signed the Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act, legalizing the "review of self-imposed restrictions on U.S.-Taiwan relations." The timing is highly strategic—Xi Jinping had just reiterated the "bottom line" of unification to the US, and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi had unusually stated that "a military attack on Taiwan would be a crisis of Japan's survival." Trump's move is seen as a direct and strong signal to Beijing.
The new law requires the State Department to report to Congress at least every five years on how it is deepening U.S.-Taiwan relations, focusing on "removing all self-imposed restrictions," including decades-old diplomatic red lines such as restrictions on Taiwanese officials visiting the U.S. and prohibitions on displaying the Taiwanese flag. After the bill's passage, these red lines will no longer be internal rules that the executive branch can maintain at its own discretion, but will become legal obligations that must be reviewed and loosened.
Bloomberg points out that this move, along with Takaichi's "crisis of survival" rhetoric, creates a synchronized pressure from the U.S. and Japan: Japan is opening up legal space for the Self-Defense Forces to intervene in the Taiwan Strait, while the U.S. is pushing for a gradual "quasi-officialization" of US-Taiwan interactions, clearly breaking through the old framework of strategic ambiguity.
Bill sponsor Ann Wagner stated bluntly that the aim is to counter Chinese expansion. Taiwan's Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said today that this signifies a major step forward for Taiwan and the US, allowing Taiwanese officials to conduct official business at U.S. federal agencies and enabling interactions between the U.S. and Taiwan in official settings.
Aboluowang commentator Wang Duren analyzed that Trump's move is seen by Washington as: on the eve of a Taiwan Strait storm, the first time a legislative act has broken down the taboo on U.S.-Taiwan exchanges, creating unprecedented institutional pressure on Beijing. The review of restrictions on U.S.-Taiwan exchanges will be "legally binding," making it difficult for any subsequent government to back down easily. This, combined with Sanae Takaichi's "existential crisis" rhetoric, forms a strategic linkage between the U.S. and Japan, meaning that strategic ambiguity on the Taiwan Strait issue is being systematically compressed, and the gray area on which Beijing relies for manipulation is rapidly disappearing.
"Trump didn't just issue a statement, he legislated—this is the most painful blow to Beijing."
The "Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act" was jointly introduced in February 2025 by Republican Representative Ann Wagner, the late Democratic Representative Gerry Connolly, and Democratic Representative Ted Lieu, and passed the House of Representatives unanimously in May.
The core spirit of the "Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act" lies in breaking down the various "red lines" established by the State Department since the severance of diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Taiwan, which regulate interactions between U.S. diplomatic, military, and other officials and Taiwanese officials.
Trump signs! Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act takes effect; Presidential Office: Affirms the value of U.S.-Taiwan relations
Reporter : Chen Yun/Taipei Report / https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/politics/breakingnews/5265995 / Image : Presidential Office Spokesperson Kuo Ya-hui. (File Photo)
U.S. President Trump officially signed the Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act on 2 December 2025 (Eastern Time), requiring the U.S. State Department to regularly review and update the guidelines for interactions with Taiwan, including any subsequent related documents, at least once every five years, and submit a report to Congress within 90 days of the review's completion. The Presidential Office expressed its sincere welcome and gratitude.
Presidential Office Spokesperson Kuo Ya-hui stated that the passage and enactment of this Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act affirms the value of US-Taiwan interactions, supports closer U.S.-Taiwan relations, and is a solid symbol of the shared values of democracy, freedom, and human rights between the U.S. and Taiwan, making it particularly significant. Kuo Ya-hui pointed out that Taiwan shares the fundamental values of freedom and democracy with the United States, and a stable Taiwan-U.S. relationship is a crucial cornerstone for maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. In the future, Taiwan will continue to maintain close communication with the US, deepen partnerships in various fields, and provide stabilizing forces for global prosperity and development. As a responsible member of the international community, Taiwan will also work hand in hand with the United States and like-minded countries in the region to ensure peace, prosperity, and stable development in the Indo-Pacific region.
Trump signs "Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act"; Wang Hsing-huan: Taiwan's position is quasi-national
Reporter : Lin Che-yuan/Taipei Report / https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/politics/breakingnews/5266374 / Image : Wang Hsing-huan, Chairman of the Taiwan Statebuilding Party. (File Photo)
U.S. President Trump signed the "Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act", which mandates the executive branch to accelerate and concretely implement the requirements of the "Taiwan Assurance Act of 2020." Wang Hsing-huan, Chairman of the Taiwan Statebuilding Party, stated that the enactment of the "Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act" symbolizes the "quasi-nationalization" of Taiwan's status, and that US-Taiwan diplomatic relations will interact in a "quasi-national" manner.
Wang Hsing-huan pointed out that due to pressure and backlash from China, various unreasonable regulations have long existed in Taiwan-US relations. This act requires the State Department to remove these self-imposed restrictions, thus granting Taiwan "quasi-national" status and continuing to maintain Taiwan-US relations in a "quasi-national" manner.
Wang Xinghuan explained that the Taiwan Relations Act treats Taiwan as an independent political entity, while the U.S. government maintains ambiguity and flexibility by "not making statements about Taiwan's international status, not commenting on Taiwan's sovereignty disputes, and not interfering in cross-strait relations." Now, the Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act defines Taiwan and Taiwan-U.S. relations as a "quasi-nation," indicating that the U.S. is gradually abandoning the ambiguity of its "three no's."
Wang Xinghuan further stated that the Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act received bipartisan support during its deliberations in both the House and Senate, demonstrating that the "quasi-nation" status of Taiwan and the "normalization" of Taiwan-U.S. relations have become a consensus in the U.S.
Wang Hsing-huan emphasized that the Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act also symbolizes the United States' view of maintaining Taiwan's de facto independence as a crucial factor for stability in the Indo-Pacific. As one of the bill's sponsors, Republican Representative Ann Wagner, stated on social media, "This is key legislation for strengthening the U.S.-Taiwan relationship and conveys our firm opposition to the dangerous actions of the Chinese Communist Party attempting to dominate the region and expand its influence."
Wang Hsing-huan urged the government's foreign affairs department to seize this critical period in U.S.-Taiwan relations and, based on the international legal principles of Resolution 2758, to study the "Taiwan name rectification" agenda and actively consolidate the diplomatic practice of equal exchanges between Taiwan and the U.S. as "quasi-states."
Taiwan Affairs Office rebukes "Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act" as brutal interference in internal affairs; Scholars: It shows Taiwan and the U.S. are doing the right thing!
Reporter : Chen Yu-fu/Taipei Report / https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/politics/breakingnews/5266236 / Image : U.S. President Trump. (EPA)
U.S. President Trump signed the "Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act," which mandates the executive branch to accelerate and concretely implement the requirements of the "Taiwan Assurance Act of 2020." China's Taiwan Affairs Office today rebuked the bill, stating that China firmly opposes any form of official exchanges between the US and "Taiwan, China," and that the US bill blatantly interferes in China's internal affairs and seriously violates the One-China principle. Scholars say that the Taiwan Affairs Office's reaction precisely proves the necessity of this bill; the more dissatisfied China is, the more it shows that Taiwan-U.S. relations are doing the right thing.
The U.S. Senate recently passed the "Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act," introduced by bipartisan lawmakers, requiring the State Department to regularly review and update its guidelines for interactions with Taiwan and to propose plans to remove existing restrictions. The White House announced on 2 December that President Trump had signed the "Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act," which has now officially taken effect.
Since the United States and the Republic of China severed diplomatic ties in 1979, the State Department has established documents regulating various "red lines" in interactions between U.S. diplomatic, military, and other officials and Taiwanese officials. The core spirit of the "Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act" is to break down these restrictions.
According to the act, the State Department's assessment must explain whether existing guidelines can deepen and expand U.S.-Taiwan relations and reflect the value and importance of the bilateral relationship. The guidelines must ensure that the approach to relations with Taiwan reflects long-term, comprehensive, and value-based interactions and contributes to the peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues.
Regarding Trump's signing of the "Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act," Zhang Han, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, stated at a regular press conference today that "we firmly oppose any form of official exchanges between the U.S. and 'Taiwan, China'. This position is consistent and clear."
Zhang Han retorted that the relevant U.S. bill blatantly interferes in China's internal affairs, seriously violates the One-China principle and the spirit of the three Sino-U.S. joint communiqués, sends a seriously wrong signal to the Taiwan independence separatist forces, and adds, "We express our strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to this, and urge the U.S. to uphold its serious political commitments on the Taiwan issue and refrain from any form of official contact with Taiwan."
Hong Pu-chao, deputy executive director of the Center for Mainland Studies at Tunghai University, said in an interview today that the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council of China's accusation that the U.S. is interfering in China's internal affairs and sending wrong signals to the so-called "Taiwan independence forces" seems familiar, but in fact, it reflects China's true anxiety. They fear that U.S.-Taiwan relations are entering a stage of institutionalization, predictability, and irreversibility.
Hong Pu-chao analyzed that what China cares about most is not the bill itself, but the direction it symbolizes. The U.S. no longer regards Taiwan policy as a flexible operation of the executive branch, but is gradually enshrining "diplomatic transparency," "military cooperation," and "official exchanges" in legislation, requiring all departments to "do it," and no longer allowing for postponement due to changing circumstances. This deepening of institutionalization is the biggest change in U.S. policy toward Taiwan in recent years under the threat of China. Hong Pu-chao pointed out that the Taiwan Affairs Office accused "official exchanges" of violating the One-China principle, but the fact is that the US One-China policy has never included China's claim that "Taiwan belongs to China." The U.S. follows the One-China policy, which includes the Taiwan Relations Act, the three communiqués, the Six Assurances, and various congressional legislations. The more China tries to impose its political framework on the U.S., the more the U.S. consolidates its position through legislation; this is the most typical example.
Hong Pu-chao emphasized that, more importantly, China's accusation of "interference in internal affairs" obscures the true reality: cross-strait relations are not an internal affair, but a regional security issue. In recent years, China has continuously expanded its military power, frequently intruding into the Taiwan Strait, the East China Sea, and the South China Sea, attempting to change the status quo with fait accompli. These actions not only threaten Taiwan but also directly impact the interests of the U.S., Japan, South Korea, and the entire Indo-Pacific region. When China uses military pressure to advance its political agenda, it naturally forces the US to strengthen its support for Taiwan through legal means and establish a higher threshold for deterrence.
He suggested that Taiwan should not be nervous about China's rhetoric. Every protest from China is because it sees that U.S.-Taiwan cooperation is becoming stronger, which is crucial for Taiwan to maintain peace. Amid China's escalating military and cognitive threats, the U.S.'s act of solidifying its support for Taiwan through legislation is not provocative, but rather aimed at stabilizing the status quo across the Taiwan Strait. The more dissatisfied China is, the more it demonstrates that U.S.-Taiwan relations are on the right track.
Trump's signing of the "Taiwan Guarantee Implementation Act" comes at a sensitive time; Xi Jinping has just called for unification, and Sanae Takaichi has warned of an existential crisis
Reporters : Chen Chengliang, Wang Duruo / Editor : Zhongkang /https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/world/breakingnews/5265930, https://www.aboluowang.com/2025/1202/2314096.html
Image : File photo
On 2 September 2025, U.S. President Trump officially signed the Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act, legalizing the review of the guidelines for US-Taiwan exchanges. It is noteworthy that the timing of this bill's enactment carries significant geopolitical implications. Foreign media analysts believe that this move is a strong strategic signal to Beijing, coming just after Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated China's position on unification to the US, and after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi unusually defined the Taiwan Strait crisis as a "crisis of survival" for Japan.
Responding to Takaichi's "Crisis of Survival" theory
According to Bloomberg, the new law requires the State Department to conduct regular reviews and explain to Congress how the guidelines promote the deepening of US-Taiwan relations. The bill requires an assessment at least "every five years," and the assessment report must detail opportunities and specific solutions for "lifting self-imposed limitations" in US-Taiwan exchanges.
Bloomberg analysis suggests that Trump's signing of the bill comes against the backdrop of significant upheaval in the Indo-Pacific region. In a recent phone call with Trump, Xi Jinping reiterated the red line, emphasizing that reunification is China's core issue. Meanwhile, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's remarks in the Diet have enraged Beijing. Takaichi explicitly stated that if China attempts to use force against Taiwan, it would pose an "existential risk" to Japan.
The report points out that this characterization could open the legal door for the Japanese Self-Defense Forces to intervene in a conflict across the Taiwan Strait, and Trump's signing of the pro-Taiwan bill is seen as a concrete action by the US and Japan to simultaneously strengthen their support for Taiwan.
Breaking "Self-Imposed Restrictions": Targeting red lines for official visits
The core of this new bill is to force the State Department to periodically review and "remove" self-imposed restrictions on US-Taiwan interactions. These "self-imposed restrictions" stem from internal regulations issued by the State Department after the severing of diplomatic ties between the US and Taiwan, such as restrictions on visits to the US by high-ranking Taiwanese officials, prohibitions on displaying the Taiwanese flag in federal agencies, and restrictions on meeting locations between U.S. officials and their Taiwanese counterparts.
By elevating the review mechanism from an "executive order" to a "legal obligation," Congress is attempting to gradually dismantle these decades-old diplomatic red lines. Bill sponsor Ann Wagner, a Republican congresswoman, stated explicitly that this is to counter China's dangerous expansionist ambitions in the region.
Analysts believe that with the bill's enactment, the U.S. administration must proactively seek to deepen relations with Taiwan, gradually shifting U.S.-Taiwan interactions from a low-key, unofficial model towards more "quasi-official" and normalized exchanges. This, to some extent, challenges the long-standing U.S. policy of "strategic ambiguity" on the Taiwan Strait issue, demonstrating a clearer pro-Taiwan stance.
Beijing's furious attack on the Diaoyu Islands? Takaichi responds with shock
It is reported that U.S. President Trump recently spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi after speaking with Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping. Reuters Tokyo, citing sources, reported that Trump "hoped Takaichi would not further escalate the dispute with China," but the Japanese government immediately denied this, calling it "nonsense" and lodging a protest with the relevant media. Trump's true stance on Taiwan and Sino-Japanese issues has thus become the focus of diplomatic observation. In response, a reporter from Vision Times interviewed Professor Yuan Hongbing, a Chinese legal scholar residing in Australia who has long exposed the inner workings of the CCP's top leadership.
Yuan Hongbing cited sources within the CCP system who revealed that the CCP's armed forces have drafted a contingency plan for a "symbolic occupation" of the Diaoyu Islands, including actions such as planting the national flag and creating limited military conflict in the surrounding sea and airspace. Meanwhile, Xi Jinping has sent Li Qiang and Zhang Youxia to Russia, reiterating "unconditional support for the Putin regime" in the Russia-Ukraine war and discussing whether the Russian military would exert military pressure on Japan from the direction of the Northern Territories should a localized naval and air war break out between China and Japan over the Diaoyu Islands. North Korea has also promised the CCP that in the event of war between China and Japan, it will immediately increase military deterrence and missile pressure on South Korea and Japan, in line with the CCP's overall strategy in Northeast Asia.
However, these sources within the system judge that although the CCP military has already drawn up a script for a localized war, the possibility of Xi Jinping launching even a limited war between China and Japan between 2025 and 2026 remains low. This is because the recent purge surrounding the "political disloyalty" cases of Miao Hua and He Weidong has essentially destroyed the original command and control structure of the CCP's military and armed forces at all levels. To this day, the CCP's military command system remains incomplete and is undergoing restructuring. Xi Jinping has set a deadline of the end of 2025 to the beginning of 2026 for this major purge of the military and security system. Starting a war before then would face enormous military and political risks.
Trump signs Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act; Lin Chia-lung: Taiwan and the U.S. can interact at Federal Agencies and Representative Offices in the future
Reporter : Huang Jingxuan / Taipei Report / https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/politics/breakingnews/5265914 / Image : Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung was interviewed before attending the Legislative Yuan's Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee today. (Photo by reporter Tian Yuhua)
U.S. President Trump signed the Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act on 2 December 2025, requiring the State Department to regularly review and update relevant regulations on interactions with Taiwan and to propose plans to remove existing restrictions. In response, Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung stated on 3 December 2025 that Taiwan-US relations have taken a significant step forward, and in the future, Taiwan and the U.S. can visit each other's federal agencies and interact at representative offices.
Lin Chia-lung stated in an interview before attending the Legislative Yuan's Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee today that Trump's formal signing of the Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act represents a significant step forward in Taiwan-U.S. relations.
Regarding the guidelines for Taiwan-U.S. exchanges, Lin Chia-lung pointed out that in the future, Taiwan can conduct official business at federal agencies or interact with representative offices, allowing for more comprehensive interaction between Taiwan and the U.S. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its affirmation and gratitude for the further development of the normalization of Taiwan-U.S. relations.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the bill's smooth passage through separate review within the limited time of the US Congress demonstrates the strong support of bipartisan Congress and the executive branch for deepening Taiwan-U.S. relations.
Lin Chia-lung also said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to uphold the principles of mutual trust, mutual benefit, and mutual advantage, based on the good Taiwan-U.S. relations, and maintain close communication with the U.S. Congress and the executive branch to steadily promote the global partnership between the two sides in various fields.
Regarding the progress of Taiwan-U.S. tariff negotiations, Lin Chia-lung said that the negotiations are progressing smoothly, and the substantive discussions are in their final stages. He hopes to announce the results as soon as possible.
No comments:
Post a Comment