WASHINGTON, D.C.: The Biden administration has sent an unofficial delegation to Taiwan for the inauguration of President-elect Lai Ching-te, a move likely to irk China but expected to keep tensions from escalating as efforts continue to stabilize U.S.-China relations.
The delegation attended the ceremony on Monday. It includesd former senior officials and a scholar, consistent with U.S. tradition. Lai, from the Democratic Progressive Party, succeeded Tsai Ing-wen, marking continued leadership from the party.
China, which views Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force for unification, opposes official U.S. contact with Taipei.
“In what ways the U.S. deals with the new Taiwan authorities on May 20 and afterwards will affect (the) cross-Strait situation and also the China-U.S. relations in the future,” Liu Pengyu, spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, said before the U.S. announced it was sending a delegation, referring to the Taiwan Strait.
“So we urge the U.S. side to act on President Biden’s commitment of not supporting Taiwan independence,” he said.
Despite this, the U.S. delegation aimed to represent American solidarity with Taiwan, which the White House official described as a “model for democracy.” While the U.S. has no formal relations with Taiwan, it remains the island’s strongest ally and is legally committed to assisting in its defense.
The official stated, “Beijing will be the provocateur should it choose to respond with additional military pressure or coercion,” highlighting the unpredictability of China’s response. The U.S. supports peaceful resolutions and opposes unilateral changes to the status quo, reinforcing its stance against Taiwan’s independence while supporting dialogue.
Recent engagements, including visits by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Secretary of State Antony Blinken to China, are part of ongoing intense diplomacy to manage tensions. Following Lai’s election, the U.S. has maintained high-level contact despite Beijing’s protests, including sending a previous unofficial delegation and planning a congressional visit post-inauguration.
The delegation to Taiwan included Laura Rosenberger, chair of the American Institute in Taiwan; Brian Deese, former director of the National Economic Council; Richard Armitage, former deputy secretary of state; and Richard Bush, a nonresident senior fellow at Brookings Institution.
As tensions persist, China has reiterated its stance against Taiwan’s independence and its opposition to Taiwan’s participation in international forums like the World Health Assembly.