The intensifying confrontation between the United States and China has made the Taiwan Strait a potential flashpoint in geopolitical conflicts. The United States is accelerating its response to the risk of a hot war through military deployments, intelligence operations, and legislative support. Recently, the Trump administration publicly reflected on the strategic mistake of Nixon’s acceptance of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and reexamined its relationship with the Republic of China (ROC). The U.S. House of Representatives has also passed bills clarifying that UN Resolution 2758 does not involve Taiwan’s sovereignty, paving the way for the ROC to return to the international stage. The topic of “ROC rejoining the United Nations” has become a hotly debated issue on social media platforms.
In recent days, signals from the U.S. military and intelligence agencies indicate that the Taiwan Strait has become the frontline of strategic confrontation between the U.S. and China. On May 2, 2025, the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Commander, Samuel Paparo, publicly stated that he might become the U.S. military commander in a conflict with China over Taiwan. Paparo emphasized that the U.S. currently has the capability to defeat the CPC, but with the rapid expansion of CPC’s military power, the challenges are increasing day by day.
Actions in the intelligence field are also frequent. On May 1, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) released two Hollywood-style propaganda videos through social media, openly recruiting dissatisfied individuals within the CPC system in an attempt to promote internal disintegration. Although the effectiveness of this move is yet to be seen due to the strict information control by the CPC, the intent behind it is clear: to weaken the stability of the CPC regime through non-military means.
The United States is not only preparing for battle tactically but is also strategically adjusting its policy towards Taiwan to give the ROC international space as a counterweight to the CPC.
On May 5, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the “Taiwan Assurance Act” and the “Taiwan International Solidarity Act,” explicitly stating that the UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 of 1971 does not concern Taiwan’s sovereignty. These bills not only strengthen the U.S.-ROC alliance but also provide a legal basis for the U.S. to support the ROC’s participation in international organizations outside the UN framework.
Huang Pang-Hsiao, a former ROC National Assembly representative, believes that the CPC has long used Resolution 2758 to restrict Taiwan’s international space. The recent legislation by the U.S. demonstrates that the ROC’s presence in Taiwan has independent legal status and is not bound by that resolution.
The relationship between the United States, the ROC, and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has undergone over 70 years of complex changes. As the U.S. accelerates its shift in policy towards the Taiwan Strait, the Trump administration has started openly reflecting on the origins of strategic errors in dealing with China. On May 4, 2025, President Trump, in an interview aboard Air Force One, rare…