The Foreign Ministry says that it will push the United States to lift its remaining restrictions on meetings with Taiwanese officials. That comes after the US State Department issued new guidelines on Friday for US government interaction with Taiwanese counterparts.
This is not the first time the US has eased restrictions on government-level interaction with Taiwan. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo lifted almost all such restrictions in January. The Biden administration has been reviewing those rules as part of its commitment to the Taiwan Assurance Act of 2020.
Although the State Department has not released the new guidelines to the press, reports say that the US government has lifted a number of restrictions. US officials will be allowed to conduct regular meetings with Taiwanese representatives at Twin Oaks, the former residence of Taiwanese ambassadors in Washington. However, American government representatives will not be allowed to attend celebrations of Taiwan’s National Day on October 10.
Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry says that the publication of the new guidelines marks a new chapter in US-Taiwan relations. It says Taiwan will continue to adopt a pragmatic attitude toward strengthening its partnership with the United States. As for the remaining restrictions, Deputy Foreign Minister Tien Chung-kwang says getting them lifted will be the ministry’s next goal.