Alaska’s natural gas going directly to Taiwan and bypassing communist China has caught the attention of the government of mainland China.
The Chinese government has issued a rebuke to Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy, condemning his recent visit to Taiwan and his direct negotiations with Taiwanese officials over a potential liquefied natural gas deal.
Taiwan’s state-owned oil and gas company CPC in March had signed a letter of intent to invest in the Alaska LNG export project and purchase liquefied natural gas from it, when the project moves to the production phase.
In a letter addressed to Dunleavy, Beijing, through its consulate in San Francisco, accused the governor of undermining the “one-China” principle and warned that such actions could jeopardize broader China-US relations, escalating tensions over a trade mission that secured a significant letter of intent for Alaska’s $44 billion LNG project.
The letter said, in part:
“The Chinese side has noted with regret that Governor Mike Dunleavy is on a visit to Taiwan, scheduled to meet Lai Ching-te, Bi-khim Louise Hsiao, and Lin Chia-Lung, and visit the so-called Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This trip sends a very wrong signal to the ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces. The Chinese side is firmly opposed to this, and urges the State of Alaska and Governor Mike Dunleavy to correct such mistakes and avoid their recurrence.
“The Taiwan question is at the very center of China’s core national interests, the bedrock of the political foundation of China-US relations, and the first red line that must not be crossed in China-US relations. It remains the most important and most sensitive issue in China-US relations. Whether the US can properly handle Taiwan-related issues, and whether it can implement the commitment of not supporting ‘Taiwan independence’, have a direct bearing on China-US communication and cooperation in various fields, and even on the direction of China-US relations as a whole.
“The key to proper handling Taiwan-related issues is to adhere to the one-China principle in good faith. There is only one China in the world, Taiwan is part of China, and the Government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. The one-China principle was reaffirmed in United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 in 1971. It is an overwhelming consensus of the international community and a basic norm governing international relations. It is also the political foundation on which China develops its relations with all other countries and the essence of the three joint communiqués between China and the United States; It should be a principle that the American government of any level should abide by.
“China is not against the State of Alaska conducting nongovernmental exchanges with Taiwan. However, Governor Mike Dunleavy’s visit of Taiwan and meeting with officials there in official capacity is obviously a visit of official nature, violating the one-China principle and undermining the political foundation of our bilateral relations. The Chinese side urges the State of Alaska to handle Taiwan-related issues prudently, stop infringing upon the one-China principle, and act according to the commitment made by the US government in the three joint communiqués.
“The Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco stands ready to enhance subnational people-to-people exchanges and pragmatic cooperation between China and the State of Alaska in all fields. We welcome more officials from Alaska to visit China to gain insight into a multifaceted and evolving China, and further deepen their understanding and friendship with China.
“The Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in San Francisco avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Office of the Governor of the State of Alaska the assurances of its consideration.”
The People’s Republic of China maintains that Taiwan is an inalienable part of its territory. The PRC asserts there is only one China, and Taiwan is a province of it, with the PRC as the sole legitimate government representing all of China.
This stance stems from the Chinese Civil War, which ended in 1949 with the Communist Party establishing the PRC on the mainland and the Nationalist government (Kuomintang) retreating to Taiwan, where it continued to claim legitimacy as the Republic of China.
Beijing views Taiwan’s separate governance as a temporary situation and considers reunification a core national interest. The PRC insists that Taiwan must eventually be integrated into the mainland, preferably through peaceful means but with the threat of force if necessary, as outlined in its Anti-Secession Law of 2005.
This belief drives China’s opposition to any actions — like official visits or agreements by foreign entities — that imply recognition of Taiwan as a separate state, as seen in its reaction to Gov. Dunleavy’s visit and signed agreement.
In 2017, former Gov. Bill Walker led a trade mission to China, which resulted in a joint development agreement with three Chinese state-owned entities — Sinopec, Bank of China, and China Investment Corporation — to finance, build, and buy gas from the $44 billion project. Walker dealt directly with the communist government and his deal was canceled by Gov. Dunleavy immediately after he became governor in 2018.
