On 2 December 2025, US President Donald Trump signed into law new legislation aimed at “enhancing US-Taiwan relations,” known as the Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act (TAIA).
Substantively, the TAIA goes further than previous US legislation on Taiwan. It requires the US Department of State to conduct periodic reviews at least once every five years of its guidelines for engaging with Taiwan, and to update or revise them as needed. The goal is to broaden and formalise official-level contacts in diplomatic, economic, cultural, and other areas. In this respect, the Act creates a new legal obligation that earlier laws, such as the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 or the Taiwan Travel Act of 2018, did not mandate.
Taiwan welcomed the legislation, calling it a “major step forward” in its relationship with the United States. Taipei highlighted that the Act reflects US support for democratic values, freedom, and human rights, and opens the door to more substantive diplomatic engagement.
China, by contrast, voiced firm opposition. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian argued that the law violates the One-China principle and warned Washington not to “send any wrong signal” to pro-independence forces in Taiwan.
Overall, while the TAIA is designed to intensify US engagement with Taiwan, it does not commit the United States to military action. Any response would still depend on strategic assessments at the time. Even so, Washington’s expanded contact with Taiwan is likely to heighten Beijing’s concerns and could prompt China to increase diplomatic, military, or coercive pressure as it pursues unification.
Read the original article in Vietnamese
hereTranslated and edited by HC
