US President Donald Trump's upcoming visit to Beijing is set to feature a crucial discussion on Taiwan, a democratically-governed island that China claims as its territory. To understand the complexities of this issue, let's take a look at the key developments in ties between the United States, China, and Taiwan.
1949 saw Mao Zedong's communists take power in Beijing, leading to the defeat of Chiang Kai-shek's Republic of China government, which fled to Taiwan. The US then deployed a fleet in the Taiwan Strait to protect its ally from possible attack by Mao.
The first Taiwan Strait Crisis occurred in 1954-1955, when Beijing launched artillery attacks on Taiwan-controlled islands. Taipei fought back with US-supplied weapons, but China did not seize control of any Taiwan-held islands.
In 1979, the US endorsed the 'One China Policy' and switched diplomatic ties to Beijing from Taipei. However, the Taiwan Relations Act made clear that the US decision rested on the expectation of peaceful means to determine Taiwan's future.
Over the years, tensions have continued to escalate, with key events including the adoption of the Six Assurances to Taiwan in 1982, Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui's visit to the US in 1995, and the Third Taiwan Strait Crisis in 1996.
More recently, the Trump administration approved arms sales of $11 billion to Taiwan in December 2025, prompting China to launch its most extensive war games around Taiwan yet.
