Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Calls on U.S. Govt. to Recognize Taiwan as Independent

Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has called upon the United States to recognize Taiwan as an independent nation during his visit to the island off the coast of China.

On Thursday, Pompeo publicly declared that the U.S. government should take the “long-overdue” step and recognize the freedom of Taiwan.

“It is my view that the U.S. 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’s diplomatic recognition as a free and sovereign country,” Pompeo said in a statement. 

Pompeo said this would be a recognition of an already “existent reality.” 

“This is not about Taiwan’s future independence, it is about recognizing an unmistakable, already existent reality,” asserted Pompeo. ” That reality is this, as many of your past and present leaders have made clear, there is no need for Taiwan to declare independence because it’s already an independent country.”

“Its name is the Republic of China (Taiwan),” he continued. “The people and government of the United States should simply recognize this political, diplomatic, and sovereignty reality.  The Taiwanese people deserve the world’s respect for a free, democratic, and sovereign country.” 

It is my view that the U.S. 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’s diplomatic recognition as a free and sovereign country.

— Mike Pompeo (@mikepompeo) March 4, 2022

Its name is the Republic of China (Taiwan). The people and government of the United States should simply recognize this political, diplomatic and sovereignty reality. The Taiwanese people deserve the world’s respect for a free, democratic and sovereign country.

— Mike Pompeo (@mikepompeo) March 4, 2022

During his visit, Pompeo was also awarded Taiwan’s presidential honor for his “contribution to boosting relations with the country,” according to The Hill. At the ceremony, President Tsai Ing-wen thanked the former secretary for his support and bequeathed him the Order of the Brilliant Star with Grand Cordon.

“A visit from such a good friend as Secretary Pompeo attests to the strong Taiwan-U.S. friendship,” Tsai said at the ceremony.

“It is not provocative to say that one demands freedom. Indeed to walk away from these things demonstrate the absence of resolve,” Pompeo said.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin denounced Pompeo’s visit as as a “despicable and inevitably a futile effort.”