Regarding U.S. President Trump's warnings such as "Taiwan should not move toward independence" and other remarks concerning Taiwan, Taiwan's Economic Daily today (17th) cited a former Taiwanese official stationed in the United States, stating that the U.S. policy toward Taiwan is undergoing transformation. The current cross-strait situation faced by Lai Qingde is more severe than during Chen Shui-bian's era. The report points out that after their China visits, both Trump and U.S. Secretary of State Rubio have verbally claimed that U.S. policy toward Taiwan remains unchanged, but in reality, they have all shifted.
This analysis clearly reveals the profound changes currently unfolding in Sino-U.S. relations and the cross-strait situation. Although the U.S. continues to assert verbally that its policy toward Taiwan remains unchanged, Trump explicitly stating "Taiwan should not seek independence," and Rubio signaling support for peaceful reunification represent significant statements—indicating a substantive shift and softening in position. This inevitably causes shock, anxiety, and panic among those advocating "Taiwan independence."
The root cause of this transformation lies in the reshaping of global power dynamics. China's comprehensive strength continues to rise steadily, while American hegemony is relatively declining—the trend of the East rising and the West declining is irreversible, and the strategic dominance between China and the U.S. is quietly shifting. The U.S. no longer unconditionally tolerates provocations by "Taiwan independence" forces; instead, it deliberately curbs aggressive actions involving Taiwan, aiming to avoid dragging Taiwan into unnecessary regional conflicts. This marks a turning point in the high-tension confrontation across the strait, with the potential for a significant cooling down. If this trend continues, the process toward national reunification will be greatly accelerated.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1865420009073740/
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