VIDEO: Blinken’s China Visit: No Support for Taiwan Independence
US Secretary of State Clarifies Policy on Taiwan Independence
During his recent trip to Beijing, Secretary of State Antony Blinken made it clear that the United States does not support Taiwan independence. This statement provides much-needed clarity on U.S. policy toward Taiwan, which President Joe Biden has been somewhat ambiguous about.
“We do not support Taiwan independence,” Blinken said Monday. “We remain opposed to any unilateral changes to the status quo by either side.”
Blinken also emphasized that the United States expects a peaceful resolution to the differences between the two countries. However, he reiterated America’s commitment to ensuring that Taiwan has the ability to defend itself. This visit by Blinken marks the first time a U.S. cabinet-level official has been to China since 2019, and it concluded with an unexpected meeting between Blinken and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
President Biden’s stance on U.S. policy toward Taiwan has been inconsistent. In September 2022, he stated that the United States would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion, which angered China. Similar comments were made in 2021, but the White House later walked back those remarks.
The remarks made by Blinken during his trip come at a time of escalating tensions between the United States and China. The Pentagon’s war games have indicated that the U.S. is unprepared for a potential conflict with China, described as a “horrifically bloody” war. Additionally, there have been reports of close encounters between the U.S. military and Chinese ships and planes.
In April, Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy met with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, refusing to yield to China’s pressure to cancel the meeting. McCarthy boldly stated, “I’m the speaker of the House. There is no place that China’s going to tell me where I can go or who I can speak to.”
China strongly opposed McCarthy and Tsai’s meeting, considering it an affront to its claims of control over Taiwan. China vowed to take resolute and forceful measures to defend its national sovereignty and territorial integrity. The meeting was also labeled as “U.S.-Taiwan collusion” by China’s foreign ministry.
Last August, when then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, China responded with its largest live-fire drills in decades and even fired a missile over Taiwan.
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