https://www.theepochtimes.com/us-to-move-ahead-with-taiwan-trade-deal-expects-beijings-ire_3485952.html
WASHINGTON—As the United States moves forward with talks toward a bilateral trade deal with Taiwan, the State Department is expecting backlash from the Chinese regime, while hoping for the best.
The Chinese Communist Party has a long history of retaliating against other country’s decisions that involve what it deems as threats to its power. The regime’s response to a U.S.–Taiwan deal would be “all about Beijing’s decision matrix,” said David Stilwell, assistant secretary of state for East Asia and Pacific affairs.
“But, our job is to obviously think through what those are and anticipate them,” Stilwell said in response to a question by The Epoch Times during a media call on Sept. 2.
“If you look at the language from the three communiques and the Taiwan Relations Act … the economic relationship, cultural exchanges, all those things are fully allowed. There’s nothing that prohibits those things. And so there should be no lash back. The efforts to increase prosperity between the two countries should have no effect.”
Taiwan opened the door on Aug. 28, when President Tsai Ing-wen announced she would move to lift restrictions on imports of U.S. pork and beef.
“This decision is based on our national economic interests and consistent with our overall strategic goals for the future,” Tsai said in a translated statement.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo welcomed the news.
“This move opens the door for even deeper economic and trade cooperation,” Pompeo wrote on Twitter on Aug. 28.