Chinese leader Xi Jinping told US President Donald Trump that disagreements over Taiwan could push relations down a dangerous path and that "Taiwan independence" and peace in the Taiwan Strait are "as incompatible as fire and water".
Here are some questions and answers about what is meant by the term "Taiwan independence" and what are the positions of the Chinese, American, and Taiwanese governments.
What is the history of Taiwan and what is its official name today?
The island, formerly known as Formosa, was home to indigenous peoples for thousands of years before the Dutch and Spanish briefly ruled parts of it in the 17th century.
The Qing Dynasty incorporated Taiwan as part of Fujian Province in 1684, and only declared it a separate Chinese province in 1885.
Following the Qing Dynasty's defeat in a war with Japan, Taiwan became a Japanese colony in 1895. In 1945, at the end of World War II, the island was handed over to the government of the Republic of China.
In 1949, after its defeat by Mao Zedong's communist forces, the government of the Republic of China withdrew to Taiwan. and moved its capital there. "Republic of China" remains the official name of the island to this day.
Mao established the People's Republic of China and declared it the sole legitimate Chinese government for all of China, including Taiwan, as the successor to the Republic of China.
What is the international status of Taiwan and what is China's position?
For decades, the Republic of China in Taipei also claimed to be the legitimate Chinese government, but in 1971, Beijing took over China's seat at the United Nations from Taipei.
Currently, only 12 countries maintain formal relations with Taipei—mostly small developing countries, such as Belize and Tuvalu.
Most major Western countries and U.S. allies maintain close informal relations with Taiwan, recognizing Republic of China passports and having de facto embassies in their capitals. Taiwanese citizens can travel freely to most countries with Taiwanese passports.
China has said it will not hesitate to use force to bring Taiwan under its control. Beijing has offered Taiwan a "one country, two systems" model similar to that of Hong Kong, which promises a high degree of autonomy, although none of Taiwan's major political parties support this idea.
Public opinion polls in Taiwan have repeatedly shown that most Taiwanese want to maintain the current status quo in relations with China.
China also argues that UN Resolution 2758, adopted in 1971, means that the world legally recognizes Taiwan as part of China. The resolution states that the People's Republic of China is the sole legitimate government of China.
However, the government in Taipei argues that this is a meaningless statement, as the resolution does not mention Taiwan or its status at all. Last year, the US State Department said that China was deliberately misrepresenting the resolution as part of a broader "coercive attempts to isolate Taiwan from the international community".
What is the US position?
The United States severed formal relations with Taipei in 1979 in favor of Beijing, but under the Taiwan Relations Act it is obliged to provide the island with the means to defend itself. The US does not officially take a position on Taiwan's sovereignty as part of the US "One China" policy.
In 2022, the State Department also added language on the so-called "Six Assurances" — six security guarantees from the Ronald Reagan era given to Taiwan that the US declassified in 2020.
Among the assurances, made in 1982 but never before officially made public, are statements that the US had not set a date for ending arms sales to Taiwan, had not agreed to prior consultations with Beijing on such sales, and would not review the Taiwan Relations Act, which is the basis of US policy towards the island.
China has repeatedly urged the US to end arms sales to Taiwan.
Is Taiwan now an independent country?
Taiwan, whose citizens elect their own leaders and whose government controls a clearly defined territory with its own armed forces, passport, and currency, effectively enjoys de facto independence, even if this is not officially recognized by most countries.
The Taiwanese government says the Republic of China is a sovereign state and that Beijing has no right to speak or represent it, as the People's Republic of China has no role in choosing Taiwan's leaders and has never ruled Taiwan.
Can Taipei declare the "Republic of Taiwan"?
That would be very difficult and would require parliamentary approval of a constitutional amendment followed by a referendum, not just a declaration by President Lai Ching-te.
At least 75% of lawmakers must approve such an amendment, and the ruling Democratic Progressive Party and the main opposition party — — — — — currently have an equal number of seats.
The Democratic Progressive Party, in power since 2016, has not attempted to change the constitution. The — — — — and categorically opposes any attempts to change the name to "Republic of China".
What does the president of Taiwan say about independence?
China hates Lai and calls him a "separatist". Even before he was elected president, Lai declared that he was "a practical worker for Taiwan independence". However, he claims that he simply meant that Taiwan is already an independent country.
Since taking office in 2024, Lai has repeatedly stated that the Republic of China and the People's Republic of China "are not subordinate to each other". Beijing says this means it views the two as separate countries and is therefore pushing for independence.
Does China have a legal framework to prevent formal independence?
In 2005, China's parliament, which largely acts as a formalist and approves government decisions, passed the Anti-Secession Law, which provides a legal basis for military action against Taiwan if the island secedes or if "the possibilities for peaceful reunification are completely exhausted." However, the law is vague and lacks specific details.