Clarity for Beijing and Taipei as Biden team says US will stay with one-China policy

Just days after new president was inaugurated, the US expressed support for Taiwan without mentioning ‘one China’ but new announcement confirms position

As Taiwan establishes office in Guyana, US de facto embassy in Taipei says all countries should be free to pursue closer ties with self-ruled island

Reading Time:2 minutes

A State Department spokesman said the Biden administration would be adhering to the one-China policy in relation to Taiwan. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 2:47pm, 4 Feb 2021Updated: 11:16am, 18 Feb 2021

The US State Department has reaffirmed Washington’s one-China policy on Taiwan as the island tries to further raise its international profile by setting up an office in Guyana.

State Department spokesman Ned Price said there was no change in the United States’ one-China policy, when asked if the new US administration supported that policy.

“Yes … our policy has not changed,” Price said on Wednesday, adding that the Biden administration’s dealings with cross-strait issues were still guided by the one-China policy.

In a statement on January 23, just days after the inauguration, the administration of US President Joe Biden expressed strong support for the self-ruled island in the face of military pressure from Beijing, but stopped short of mentioning the one-China policy.

Analysts said Price’s comments were expected to ease concern from both Beijing and Taipei.