Taiwan bill looms, and it could pose ‘direct challenge’ for US-China ties
- Tensions are high, and the White House has tried to delay the Taiwan Policy Act that aims to upgrade ties with the island by designating it as a major non-Nato ally
- Observers say the bill ‘would overturn Sino-US relations’ and could prompt a stronger response from Beijing than House Speaker Pelosi’s visit to Taipei
But Beijing remains furious over last week’s Pelosi visit, which it claims was another attempt by Washington to backpedal on its commitment on the one-China policy.
The bill “would overturn Sino-US relations, and I think the consequences would be extremely serious”, said Lu Xiang, a specialist on US-China relations at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
The most eye-catching part of the legislation is the proposed designation of Taiwan as a “major non-Nato ally”, meaning it would be viewed as one of Washington’s closest global partners, especially on trade and security cooperation.
That “would be equivalent to recognition of Taiwan’s sovereignty. It means that the US would abandon its China policy completely”, Lu said. “Recognising Taiwan’s sovereignty means recognising its independence, and as a result, China would have to resolve the Taiwan issue once and for all.”
Wu Xinbo, dean of the Institute of International Studies at Shanghai’s Fudan University, also said the bill could be more of a challenge than Pelosi’s trip.