Elbridge Colby Quoted in The New York Times

WASHINGTON — The United States said on Saturday that it would relax its restrictions on interactions between American officials and their counterparts in Taiwan as the Trump administration seeks to lock in a tougher line against Beijing in its final days.

A set of complex guidelines meant to make it difficult for American officials to visit with Taiwan’s officials was put in place after the adoption of the “One China policy” in 1979, which recognized the communist government in Beijing and removed recognition of the nationalist government that ruled Taiwan.

In a statement on Saturday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States had unilaterally imposed the restrictions “in an attempt to appease the Communist regime in Beijing.”

“I am lifting all of these self-imposed restrictions,” Mr. Pompeo said. “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.”

New York Times