Despite threats of military intervention, the Secretary of State stressed that the United States still does not recognize Taiwan.
Secretary of State Anthony Blinken announced Thursday that the United States’ policy of strategic ambiguity towards Taiwan remains intact, despite President Joe Biden’s pledge to involve US military forces in the Chinese invasion. Blinken is the second senior official in the Biden administration to amend the president’s statement.
Biden angrily told Beijing on Monday that the United States would involve its military in any possible conflict between China and Taiwan, despite adhering to the “one-China policy”. Although the White House has made it clear that Biden’s remarks do not represent a change in the United States’ long-standing recognition of China’s sovereignty over Taiwan, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said the US leader’s words drew him. “1.4 billion Chinese people oppose.”
“In Taiwan, our approach has been consistent for decades and in administration,” he said. Blinken told reporters Thursday. “As the president has said, our policy has not changed. We do not support Taiwan’s independence, and we hope that the cross-strait differences will be resolved peacefully. “
.SecBlinken On Taiwan: Our approach has been consistent over decades and in administration. As Potash “Our policy has not changed,” he said. The United States is committed to our one-China policy. pic.twitter.com/ZhROrQBdFg
– State Department (tStateDept) May 26, 2022
Under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, the United States recognizes, but does not support, China’s sovereignty over Taiwan. Although the law codified the United States’ “one-China policy”, it allowed informal diplomatic relations with the Taiwanese government and allowed Washington to provide substantial military assistance to Taipei. “To enable Taiwan to maintain adequate self-defense capabilities.”
The law does not guarantee or repeal US military intervention if China threatens to unify Taiwan by force. Instead, it views any attempt to change Taiwan’s status as a threat “Deeply concerned for the United States.” The language was intended to deter China from using such force and to prevent Taiwan from issuing a formal declaration of independence.
Blinken’s statement came two days after Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin issued his own similar word-of-mouth explanation for Biden’s pledge of military assistance to Taiwan. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Austin said “one of our China policies has not changed.”
However, Blinken said on Thursday “Although our policy has not changed, what has changed is Beijing’s increasing coercion.” He blamed China “Provocative speech and activity” Towards Taiwan, Excerpts of alleged flights over Taiwanese airspace by Chinese aircraft. Earlier this month, Taipei authorities accused the Chinese military of flying 18 aircraft, including two nuclear-capable bombers, into its air-defense zone.
This action, Blinken said, “Deeply unstable. They risk miscalculations and threaten the peace and stability of the Taiwanese system.”
Biden, however, has been accused of threatening peace and stability in his own words. Last March, he announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin Can’t stay in power The White House tried to walk back as a statement “A reflection of his emotional connection” To Ukraine, but the Kremlin explained that “Terrible.” Republican Senator Rand Paul (Kentucky) responded to Biden’s announcement “Cognitive collapse” A “National security risk.”
