China says the US has “gravely backpedalled” on its position on Taiwan after a government fact sheet was changed to remove a line on American opposition to independence for the breakaway province.

“We urge the US to… stop emboldening and supporting Taiwan independence and avoid further damaging China-US relations and the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said.

Taiwan and China split in 1949 during the civil war that brought the communists to power on the mainland, with the defeated Nationalists fleeing across the Taiwan Strait to set up a rival government on the island.

Today, China views Taiwan as a breakaway province, with which it promises to one day reunify, and has not ruled out the use of force to do so.

Tensions between the US and China over Taiwan’s independence have spanned decades, particularly as Chinese warplanes have repeatedly flown close to the island’s airspace.

The latest row comes after the US State Department removed the phrase “we do not support Taiwan independence” from a fact sheet last week.

The document on America’s relations with Taiwan is posted on its website.

Taiwan’s government welcomed the move, though a statement on Monday did not mention the language specifically.

Its foreign ministry noted the change with updated text that is “positive and friendly toward us, reflecting the close and amicable partnership between Taiwan and the United States”.

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It’s unclear exactly why the State Department changed the language – it did so briefly in May 2022 before changing it back – and whether it signifies a change in approach under President Donald Trump.

In a statement, the State Department said: “As is routine, the fact sheet was updated to inform the general public about our unofficial relationship with Taiwan.”

“The United States remains committed to its one China policy,” the spokesperson said, referring to Washington officially taking no position on Taiwan’s sovereignty and only acknowledging China’s position on the subject.

It added that the US opposes any “unilateral changes to the status quo from either side”.