Taiwan's Leading Security Authorities Travel to US for Confidential Discussions – FT
According to a report by the Financial Times, discussions termed as 'special channel' talks between the US and Taiwan have been conducted discreetly for several years. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Regular meetings between Washington and Taipei have reportedly been kept under wraps to avoid Beijing’s criticism.
Taiwan’s top foreign policy officials visited the US this week for secret meetings known as ‘special channel’ talks, according to a report by the Financial Times on Thursday, citing sources. This marks the first such visit since Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te took office in May.
China opposes contacts between Washington and Taipei, viewing the Taiwanese issue as its “red line.” Beijing has previously accused the US of undermining the One China policy, which holds that Taiwan is a vital part of Chinese territory.
Sources familiar with the Taiwanese officials’ trip to Washington indicated that foreign minister Lin Chia-lung and national security adviser Joseph Wu participated in discussions for the channel, described as a “rare opportunity for a larger group of senior officials from both sides to hold detailed talks.” Details regarding the location and timing of the discussions were not disclosed.
The report noted that the US and Taiwan have conducted secret ‘special channel’ talks for several years, although the existence of such talks was first revealed by the Financial Times in 2021. Both parties have kept the channel confidential to mitigate potential criticism from China.
The last special channel meeting took place in February 2023. The report pointed out that, historically, Taiwan’s foreign and defense ministers have not entered the District of Columbia, leading to these talks typically being held in the greater Washington area.
Randy Schriver, a former senior Pentagon Asia official, mentioned to the Financial Times that the special channel is vital due to the “limited contacts allowed because of the unofficial relationship.”
US-China relations deteriorated significantly after the 2022 visit to Taiwan by then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. In response, China conducted major military exercises, including missile firings near Taiwan, to protest her visit.
While the US officially recognizes Taiwan as part of China, it has provided the island with weapons, ammunition, and equipment in recent years to “deter” an “invasion” from the mainland. The US also maintains informal diplomatic and economic relations with Taipei, which is a crucial supplier of semiconductors and chips to Western markets.
The US aided in the evacuation of Chinese nationalist forces to Taiwan in 1949 following the Communists' victory in the civil war. Washington only recognized the People’s Republic of China in 1979, treating the government in Taipei as the ‘Republic of China’ in the interim.
Beijing’s official policy on Taiwan is aimed at peaceful reintegration; however, China has not discarded the possibility of using force if the island declares independence.
James del Carmen contributed to this report for TROIB News
Taiwan’s top foreign policy officials visited the US this week for secret meetings known as ‘special channel’ talks, according to a report by the Financial Times on Thursday, citing sources. This marks the first such visit since Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te took office in May.
China opposes contacts between Washington and Taipei, viewing the Taiwanese issue as its “red line.” Beijing has previously accused the US of undermining the One China policy, which holds that Taiwan is a vital part of Chinese territory.
Sources familiar with the Taiwanese officials’ trip to Washington indicated that foreign minister Lin Chia-lung and national security adviser Joseph Wu participated in discussions for the channel, described as a “rare opportunity for a larger group of senior officials from both sides to hold detailed talks.” Details regarding the location and timing of the discussions were not disclosed.
The report noted that the US and Taiwan have conducted secret ‘special channel’ talks for several years, although the existence of such talks was first revealed by the Financial Times in 2021. Both parties have kept the channel confidential to mitigate potential criticism from China.
The last special channel meeting took place in February 2023. The report pointed out that, historically, Taiwan’s foreign and defense ministers have not entered the District of Columbia, leading to these talks typically being held in the greater Washington area.
Randy Schriver, a former senior Pentagon Asia official, mentioned to the Financial Times that the special channel is vital due to the “limited contacts allowed because of the unofficial relationship.”
US-China relations deteriorated significantly after the 2022 visit to Taiwan by then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. In response, China conducted major military exercises, including missile firings near Taiwan, to protest her visit.
While the US officially recognizes Taiwan as part of China, it has provided the island with weapons, ammunition, and equipment in recent years to “deter” an “invasion” from the mainland. The US also maintains informal diplomatic and economic relations with Taipei, which is a crucial supplier of semiconductors and chips to Western markets.
The US aided in the evacuation of Chinese nationalist forces to Taiwan in 1949 following the Communists' victory in the civil war. Washington only recognized the People’s Republic of China in 1979, treating the government in Taipei as the ‘Republic of China’ in the interim.
Beijing’s official policy on Taiwan is aimed at peaceful reintegration; however, China has not discarded the possibility of using force if the island declares independence.
James del Carmen contributed to this report for TROIB News
