President Donald Trump now recognizes the One China policy. (Photo : Getty Images)
U.S. President Donald Trump finally acknowledges the One China policy and mends the broken relationship between America and China.
The rift between the two countries started when Trump and Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen conversed over the phone, with the former saying he was reconsidering his country's position on the policy.
However, President Trump then called Chinese Ambassador Yang Jiechi and said that he will honor the One China policy. Trump's diplomatic team has been working on smoothing relations with China and blaming Taiwan for initiating confusion.
Experts have different opinions on the matter but generally welcomed the good news.
Jia Qingguo, dean of the School of International Studies at Peking University, and an adviser to Beijing on foreign relations, said, "China was pragmatic and patient. It made every effort to smooth out the relationship, and it paid off."
Editors of Bloomberg said that the development is good news, but there is still a lot to be done. The editorial also said that Trump "handed Xi a diplomatic victory."
They also added, "There is a lot the U.S. can and should do to improve the terms of its economic relations with China and strengthen the global economy in the bargain."
Other observers said that Trump's concession to China came after state media published pictures of warships preparing for a round of military exercises in the South China Sea. This was taken as a statement that China was sending a message to the U.S. that the country will be going to war.
The state-run media predicted that Taiwanese leader Tsai Ing-wen must be in shock with the development.
"The heart of that Madame Tsai on the other side of the Taiwan Strait must at this moment be chilled to the core," they wrote.
However, there is still much to be anticipated from President Donald Trump.
According to Dean Cheng, a China expert at the conservative Heritage Foundation in Washington, "What he's shown the Chinese are he's willing to touch the 'third rail' of U.S.-China relations."
"Beijing can't predict what he'll do next--and he's only been in office three weeks. What is he going to do on trade and other economic issues?" he asked.
