Three U.S. government departments have issued a joint warning, saying China has been reaching out to American state governments and private companies in an effort to push them away from doing business or engaging with Taiwan — and in some cases, misrepresenting what U.S. policy actually says.
The warning came in two similarly worded letters, signed by the U.S. Departments of State, Agriculture, and Commerce. One letter was directed to governors’ offices and the other to CEOs and business leaders. Both were dated June 16 but were made public late Wednesday by the de facto U.S. embassy in Taiwan.
According to the letters, China’s embassy and consulates have been routinely contacting local governments and private businesses across the United States to “discourage engagement with Taiwan.”
“In doing so, they often mischaracterise U.S. policy by, for example, falsely claiming that Washington has previously accepted Beijing’s specific position on Taiwan,” both letters state.
The letters advise that if any government office or company finds itself being pressured by Chinese officials, it should reach out to the State Department for guidance.
China’s foreign ministry had not responded to a request for comment at the time of reporting.
Under Washington’s “One China” policy, the U.S. officially takes no stance on the question of Taiwan’s sovereignty. Even so, the U.S. remains Taiwan’s most important international supporter and its primary arms supplier — a relationship that has long been a source of frustration for Beijing, which views Taiwan as part of its territory despite the island governing itself independently.
The letters emphasize that Taiwan holds an important place in global trade and that American states and businesses have maintained strong ties with the island for many decades.
“Taiwan is a vital U.S. partner and democratic success story,” the letter addressed to governors reads. “We hope you will take advantage of all the opportunities that our shared values and robust relationship with Taiwan offer.”
