Blinken meets Xi, opposes Taiwan independence.

U.S. Secretary of State Affirms Stance on Taiwan’s Independence

During a recent visit to Beijing, Secretary of State Antony Blinken made it clear that the United States does not support Taiwan’s independence. The meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping aimed to improve strained relations between the two countries, with Taiwan being one of the contentious issues.

Biden Sec. of State Antony Blinken: “We do not support Taiwan independence.” pic.twitter.com/PYdxjiMt1j

— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) June 19, 2023

The meeting between Blinken and President Xi took place at the Great Hall of the People, located on the west side of Tiananmen Square. Blinken emphasized that the longstanding U.S. One China policy remains unchanged, which recognizes China’s claim over Taiwan.

China considers Taiwan as its territory and has expressed intentions to annex it forcefully. However, the U.S. maintains informal diplomatic relations with Taiwan and is committed to ensuring its ability to defend itself under the Taiwan Relations Act.

During the meeting, Blinken raised concerns about China’s provocative actions in the waters surrounding Taiwan. He highlighted the potential global consequences of a crisis over Taiwan, given the significant commercial traffic and semiconductor production in the region.

While President Xi acknowledged the progress made during the meeting, he also emphasized the importance of mutual respect and sincerity in state-to-state interactions. Blinken acknowledged that the establishment of a crisis military-to-military communications channel was not achieved, one of the primary goals of the meeting.

Tensions and Close Encounters

In recent years, U.S.-China relations have deteriorated due to various factors. Apart from Taiwan, issues such as China’s relationship with Russia, concerns over a suspected Chinese spy balloon, data security concerns with TikTok, and close encounters between military ships and aircraft have strained the relationship.

Earlier this month, the U.S. military released a video showing an “unsafe” maneuver by a Chinese navy ship that forced an American destroyer to slow down to avoid a collision. In May, a Chinese fighter pilot performed an “unnecessarily aggressive maneuver” while intercepting a U.S. aircraft over the South China Sea.

In 2022, the U.S. and China had a record-breaking $690 billion in trade, highlighting the economic significance of their relationship.