Bessent moves to placate Beijing after Trump signs bill on deepening ties with Taiwan
US Treasury Secretary tries to ease further tension after Trump signs act aimed at regularly reviewing and updating guidelines with Taiwan
When asked to clarify if the US was an ally of Taiwan, he restated that “the relationship remains unchanged”. He refused to answer if the US would come to the island’s defence if Beijing attempted to invade, calling the question “hypothetical”.
However, he stopped short of directly commenting on whether he was confident the US would defend Taiwan in the event of an invasion, saying: “Since President Trump took office, cooperation with Taiwan has not only continued, but even expanded.”
Spokesman for the Chinese embassy in Washington Liu Pengyu responded to Bessent’s remarks in a statement to the South China Morning Post.
“There is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory,” he said.
He added that China’s stance on the Taiwan issue “remains consistent and clear,” and that Beijing expects the US to adhere to the one-China principle and the three China–US joint communiques.
Beijing claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has said it will eventually unite the island with the mainland, by force if necessary. Most countries, including the US, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state.
To Beijing’s dismay, on Tuesday, Trump signed the Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act, which requires the US State Department to conduct reviews of contacts with Taiwan at least once every five years.
Lin urged the US to “approach the Taiwan question with extra prudence, stop US-Taiwan official exchanges, and stop sending any wrong signal to ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces”.
The subsequent Joe Biden administration did not reverse this decision. On several occasions, Biden pledged to defend the island against a forceful reunification, though White House officials were quick to clarify or temper his comments each time.
Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has avoided stating whether he would defend Taiwan militarily, while encouraging the island to increase its defence spending, up to 10 per cent of its GDP.
Trump and Xi find common ground on Taiwan
While Trump has secured a trade truce with Beijing, the “America first” president has accused Taiwan of undermining the US chip industry.
He has imposed a 20 per cent tariff on imports from the island and is considering steep tariffs on imported semiconductors, aiming to bring advanced chip manufacturing back to the US, even as trade talks continue.
Taiwan has the world’s largest chip manufacturer, TSMC. The company has announced US investments worth US$100 billion this year.
“It’s like saying that, if I have insurance … is my house more or less likely to catch on fire? Because you’re de-risking doesn’t mean you’ve changed anything,” he said.
The remarks come shortly after a call between Xi and Trump on November 24, when the two leaders discussed Taiwan.
In a statement issued by Beijing, it said that during the conversation, Xi “outlined China’s principled position on the Taiwan question” and “underscored that Taiwan’s return to China is an integral part of the post-war international order”. While Trump touted “extremely strong relations” with China after the call.
Trump has described his Chinese counterpart as a “great leader” and “friend”. The two also met in Busan, South Korea, in October. While trade remained the key focus of that meeting, Trump told reporters that the issue of Taiwan was not discussed.
On Wednesday, Bessent said that China was on track to complete its commitments under a US-China trade agreement, including the purchase of 12 million metric tons of soybeans, which he confirmed would be completed by February 2026.
China has not confirmed the specific volume of soybeans that the US says it pledged to buy. While Beijing has lifted some restrictions on rare earth exports, a formal deal on rare earths has yet to be finalised.
“I will say that China is on track to keep every part of the deal,” Bessent said confidently.
Taiwan opposition blocks US$40 billion defence budget, prompting protests from ruling DPP
KMT and TPP say William Lai’s government is seeking a ‘blank cheque’ and demand details of procurement plans before proposal can be reviewed
Taiwan’s opposition lawmakers have blocked a proposed NT$1.25 trillion (US$40 billion) special defence budget from being placed on the agenda for review this week.
The legislature’s procedure committee voted down Lai’s government’s request to schedule the bill for a plenary session on Friday after the main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), and the smaller Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) joined forces to suspend its inclusion.
The move means the eight-year spending package – approved by the cabinet last week after initial consultations with the United States – cannot yet be forwarded to the relevant committees for review.
DPP lawmakers accused the opposition of helping Beijing by blocking a major air-defence investment at a time of mounting pressure from mainland China.
They surrounded the podium and shouted: “Taiwan needs security, not another Wu Sangui!”
