The US has accepted that Taiwan is part of China since Japan returned the island to Chinese control after WWII. Until the 1970s, the US recognized the Nationalist government in Taipei as the legitimate of all of China. US recognition of the Communist government in Beijing did not change the one-China policy:
When the United States moved to recognize the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and de-recognize the Republic of China (ROC) in 1979, the United States stated that the government of the People’s Republic of China was “the sole legal Government of China.” Sole, meaning the PRC was and is the only China, with no consideration of the ROC as a separate sovereign entity.
The United States did not, however, give in to Chinese demands that it recognize Chinese sovereignty over Taiwan (which is the name preferred by the United States since it opted to de-recognize the ROC). Instead, Washington acknowledged the Chinese position that Taiwan was part of China. For geopolitical reasons, both the United States and the PRC were willing to go forward with diplomatic recognition despite their differences on this matter. https://www.csis.org/analysis/what-us-one-china-policy-and-why-does-it-matter
The US military was itching to use nuclear weapons against China in the 1950s when the US had a massive nuclear advantage. Eisenhower rejected a proposal to nuke China if Beijing attacked two Taiwan-controlled islands near the mainland.
Recent attempts to reopen the status of Taiwan are only likely to provide China with justification to invade. China is far stronger now that it was in the 1950s, and the nuclear stockpile of Russia is far larger. If it did not make sense to provoke a war in 1958, it makes even less sense now.
Yes, the official statements from Pelosi and the White House continue to support the one-China policy.
On the other hand, Pelosi went to Taiwan to express support for President Tsai, who says that Taiwan is “already independent”. This is sort of like flipping the bird and at the same time saying you mean nothing by it.
Exactly.
The entire Pelosi trip needs to be seen as “China changed the rules” not “America crossed a red line.”
Arguments can be made that
“We should have seen it coming, we should obey any new rule China places on us” or
“We have bigger fish to fry, we should obey any new rule China places on us;”
But the fact remains that the US just walked down the same street it walked down every day for 70 years and China put up a “no pedestrians” sign.
The discussion here has merit, but the thread title (and premise) is a load of crap.
Here is the US position as stated in the Shanghai Communique from 1972:
The United States acknowledges that all Chinese on either side of the Taiwan Strait maintain there is but one China and that Taiwan is a part of China. The United States Government does not challenge that position. It reaffirms its interest in a peaceful settlement of the Taiwan question by the Chinese themselves. With this prospect in mind, it affirms the ultimate objective of the withdrawal of all US forces and military installations from Taiwan. In the meantime, it will progressively reduce its forces and military installations on Taiwan as the tension in the area diminishes . . . https://digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org/document/121325
US support for Taiwan independence over the objections of the PRC would be a major change from the agreements of the 1970s. Poking the bear has worked so well, let’s poke the dragon . . .
Pelosi’s trip is tacit support for the position of the Taiwan government, which has said that Taiwan is already independent.
Perversely the trip also gives Beijing another pretext for an invasion, which may explain why the White House supported trip. A Taiwan invasion would arguably help both Biden and Xi since it would divert attention from domestic economic and political problems.
