US to send 'unofficial' envoys to Taiwan post-election amid China concerns

The Biden administration will send an unofficial delegation comprised of former senior officials to Taiwan shortly after the self-governed island holds an election for a new president this weekend, a move that could upset Beijing in an already fragile bilateral relationship.

A senior administration official confirmed the plan on Wednesday without offering more details but said such a face-to-face meeting was the “most effective way” to engage the new Taiwanese government and convey US policy in the region.

The official, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive plans, said the administration believed the move would contribute to peace and stability in the region.

Beijing claims Taiwan to be part of Chinese territory and vows to unify with it eventually. China has repeatedly warned Washington to stay out of Taiwan and oppose any official contact between the US and Taiwanese governments.

High-level meetings

In August 2022, Beijing reacted angrily by firing missiles and blockading the island after then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan. Chinese President Xi Jinping, at his most recent meeting with the US President Joe Biden in November, called Taiwan the “most sensitive issue” in US-China relations.

Washington has a security pact with Taiwan to provide it with sufficient hardware and technology to deter any armed attack from the mainland.

The US has stepped up support for Taiwan and its government in recent years as Beijing ratchets up military and diplomatic pressure on the island.

The US government takes no side on the island’s statehood but insists the differences must be resolved peacefully. Biden told Xi in November that the US government opposes any unilateral change to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait.

Taiwanese candidates

The Biden administration has endorsed no political party or candidate in Taiwan's upcoming presidential election. Beijing, for its part, has made it clear that it does not want a victory by Lai Ching-te, the candidate from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party known for its pro-independence leaning.

Lai is considered the front-runner in the race, but Hou Yu-ih from the opposition Kuomintang party trails closely. Kuomintang opposes independence, but it does not support unification with the mainland, either.

Beijing has labelled Lai as a “Taiwan independence element," and Chinese officials have suggested to Taiwan voters that they could be choosing between war and peace, for Beijing has vowed to annex the island forcibly should it declare independence.

Lai, however, is unlikely to take such a drastic step.