TAIPEI: The United States should formally recognize Taiwan as a country, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Friday during a speech in Taipei.
鈥淭he United States government should immediately take necessary and long overdue steps to do the right and obvious thing: that is to offer the Republic of China, Taiwan, America鈥檚 diplomatic recognition as a free and sovereign country,鈥� Pompeo said in a speech organized by a Taiwan think-tank.
Washington ended formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 1979 when it recognized the People鈥檚 Republic of China.
While Taiwan鈥檚 official name is the Republic of China, politicians often add 鈥淭aiwan鈥� in their public comments.
鈥淲hile the United States should continue to engage with the People鈥檚 Republic of China as a sovereign government, America鈥檚 diplomatic recognition of the 23 million freedom-loving Taiwanese people and its legal, democratically-elected government can no longer be ignored, avoided, or treated as secondary,鈥� Pompeo said.
Pompeo鈥檚 comments cross a sensitive red line for China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring it under Chinese control.
China says Taiwan is the most important and sensitive issue in its relations with Washington.
China placed sanctions on Pompeo when he left office at the end of the Trump presidency last year, angered by his repeated criticism of the country, especially its ruling Communist Party, and support for Chinese-claimed Taiwan.
He met Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on Thursday, who bestowed a presidential honor on him.
China put sanctions on 鈥渓ying and cheating鈥� Pompeo and 27 other top Trump-era officials as President Joe Biden took office in January 2021.
The Donald Trump administration gave strong backing to Taiwan, despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties, including high-profile arms sales and visits by top US officials to Taipei.
China has stepped up its military and diplomatic pressure against Taiwan over the past two years, seeking to force the island to accept its sovereignty.
Taiwan鈥檚 democratically-elected government says it wants peace but will defend itself if attacked, and that only the island鈥檚 people have the right to decide their future.