By Caribbean News Global 
WASHINGTON, USA – US Secretary of State, Michael Pompeo on Saturday said he was lifting self-imposed restrictions on the US -Taiwan relationship, stated: “Executive branch agencies should consider all “contact guidelines” regarding relations with Taiwan previously issued by the Department of State under authorities delegated to the Secretary of State to be null and void.”
The release added: “Taiwan is a vibrant democracy and reliable partner of the United States, and yet for several decades the State Department has created complex internal restrictions to regulate our diplomats, service members, and other officials’ interactions with their Taiwanese counterparts.”
This decision comes in the waning days of the Donald Trump administration and at a time of increased tensions between Beijing, Taiwan and Washington.
“The United States government took these actions unilaterally, in an attempt to appease the Communist regime in Beijing. No more,” the release noted. “Additionally, any and all sections of the foreign affairs manual or foreign affairs handbook that convey authorities or otherwise purport to regulate executive branch engagement with Taiwan via any entity other than the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) are also hereby voided. The executive branch‘s relations with Taiwan are to be handled by the non-profit AIT, as stipulated in the Taiwan Relations Act.”
Taiwan Relations Act (Public Law 96-8, 22 U.S.C. 3301 et seq.)
TAIWAN RELATIONS ACT
PUBLIC LAW 96-8 96TH CONGRESS
An Act
To help maintain peace, security, and stability in the Western Pacific and to promote the foreign policy of the United States by authorizing the continuation of commercial, cultural, and other relations between the people of the United States and the people on Taiwan, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
Short Title, SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as the “Taiwan Relations Act”.
In a statement, Pompeo said that the United States government maintains relationships with unofficial partners around the world, and Taiwan is no exception. Our two democracies share common values of individual freedom, the rule of law, and a respect for human dignity.
“Today’s statement recognizes that the US-Taiwan relationship need not, and should not, be shackled by self-imposed restrictions of our permanent bureaucracy.”
Meanwhile, Central News Agency reported: “A Chinese military Y-8 anti-submarine plane entered Taiwan’s southwest air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on Saturday (January 9), the seventh day of such incursions in January, according to the Ministry of National Defense (MND). In response to the incursion, Taiwan’s Air Force scrambled planes to monitor the Chinese aircraft, issued radio warnings and mobilized air defense assets, until the Chinese aircraft left the ADIZ,” the MND said.
