Top Taiwanese security leaders hold secret talks in US

Taiwan’s top foreign policy officials have made a secret visit to the Greater Washington area for talks with the US, marking the first such visit since President Lai Ching-te took office in May.

Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung and National Security Adviser Joseph Wu have been engaged in discussions known as the “special channel,” according to several sources familiar with the visit, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

This “special channel” for talks has been in place for years but was first publicly revealed by the Financial Times in 2021, when Wu, then foreign minister, met with US officials in Annapolis, Maryland. The channel provides a rare opportunity for detailed discussions among senior officials from both sides.

US administrations have kept this channel confidential to avoid provoking Chinese criticism of these sensitive engagements. Beijing claims sovereignty over Taiwan, which has maintained an unofficial relationship with Washington since the US normalized relations with China in 1979.

The most recent special channel discussions took place in February 2023, when Taiwan’s then-National Security Adviser Wellington Koo, now the Defence Minister, and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu met with US officials across the river from Washington in Northern Virginia.

Taiwan’s foreign and defence ministers are restricted from entering the District of Columbia due to longstanding practice, so these talks are typically held in the Greater Washington area. The specific location and timing of the current discussions were not disclosed by sources familiar with the situation. Both the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office and the White House declined to comment on the talks.

This channel of communication is particularly significant given the current geopolitical climate. China is closely watching how President Lai Ching-te will navigate relations with both Beijing and Washington. Beijing has labeled Lai a "dangerous separatist," fearing he may pursue official independence more aggressively than his predecessor, Tsai Ing-wen. Some US officials also express concerns about Lai’s inexperience in foreign affairs and perceived unpredictability.

Evan Medeiros, a China expert at Georgetown University and former top White House Asia adviser, described the special channel as “one of the most sensitive and important mechanisms in global politics today.” Medeiros emphasized the importance of clear and consistent communication between Taipei and Washington, especially in light of increasing pressure from the People's Republic of China.

The US has grown increasingly alarmed by the surge in Chinese military activity around Taiwan. In 2022, following then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taipei, China conducted extensive military exercises, including firing ballistic missiles over the island for the first time. Since then, China's military activity has intensified.

Randy Schriver, a former senior Pentagon official focused on Asia, emphasized the ongoing significance of the special channel due to the constraints of the unofficial US-Taiwan relationship. He noted that the channel is particularly crucial now because of the heightened Chinese military assertiveness near Taiwan.

“There is a common misconception that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) ramps up its activities around high-profile events, such as Pelosi's visit or presidential inaugurations, before returning to a steady state. However, the PLA is continuously evolving its tactics,” Schriver said. He pointed out increased nighttime exercises and new activities, such as air-to-air refueling operations on Taiwan’s eastern side, as examples of this ongoing military escalation.