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China Warns US Against “Underestimating” it After Biden Vows to Defend Taiwan With Force

Chinese leader Xi Jinping has previously stated that “reunification” between China and Taiwan is inevitable and that it will take it over by force, if necessary.

May 24, 2022
China Warns US Against “Underestimating” it After Biden Vows to Defend Taiwan With Force
US President Joe Biden 
IMAGE SOURCE: DOUG MILLS/THE NEW YORK TIMES

China vowed to take “firm action” after United States (US) President Joe Biden said that the US would intervene militarily if China attempted to take Taiwan by force.

During a joint press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo, the US leader was asked if the US would be willing to help Taiwan in the event of an invasion, as it did with Ukraine. “Yes. That’s the commitment we made,” Biden replied. “We agree with the One China policy. We signed on to it, and all the attendant agreements made from there, but the idea that it can be taken by force, just taken by force, is (just not) appropriate,” he stressed.

Biden’s latest comments on the self-governing island, which China claims to be part of its own territory, are seen as a departure from Washington’s policy of “strategic ambiguity” on the matter. His assurance also came a day before he was scheduled to attend the Quad summit with the leaders of Japan, Australia, and India. Crucially, it marked the third time in the past nine months that the US leader has emphasised that Washington would defend Taipei.

Several White House officials told CNN that the President’s unequivocal comments on the sensitive issue caught them off guard. They quickly downplayed the comments, with a US government official emphasising that the US’ official position on the island remains unchanged. “As the President said, our policy has not changed. He reiterated our One China policy and our commitment to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. He also reiterated our commitment under the Taiwan Relations Act to provide Taiwan with the military means to defend itself,” an official said.

Within hours of Biden’s comments, Beijing expressed its displeasure with the leader’s comments. When asked how his comments would affect US-China ties going forward, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said during his regular press conference on Monday that China felt “strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to the remarks.”

Wang emphasised that there is only one China and that Taiwan is an “inalienable part” of its territory, before going on to claim that that the international community has agreed to this. He warned against “foreign interference” in any “issues concerning China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and other core interests,” underscoring that Beijing has “no room for compromise of concession.”

He then threatened possible retaliation, saying, “No one should underestimate the strong resolve, determination and capability of the Chinese people in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity. No one should stand in opposition to the 1.4 billion Chinese people.”

He further called on Washington to “abide by the one-China principle and the stipulations in the three China-US joint communiqués, honour its important commitment of not supporting “Taiwan independence”, speak and act with prudence on the Taiwan question, and avoid sending any wrong signal to the “Taiwan independence” separatist forces.” “China will take firm actions to safeguard its sovereignty and security interests. We mean what we say,” he affirmed.

Meanwhile, Joanne Ou, a spokesperson for Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, voiced her appreciation for Biden’s support for the island, saying that Taipei “expresses sincere welcome and gratitude to President Biden and the United States government for reiterating its rock-solid commitment to Taiwan.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has previously stated that “reunification” between China and Taiwan is inevitable and that it will take it over by force, if necessary. Tensions between the two are at their highest in recent decades, with the Chinese military sending record numbers of warplanes near the island. Moreover, international political analysts have been concerned that China could attempt to take advantage of the fact that international attention and efforts have been somewhat diverted by the Ukraine crisis, and seek to take similar action in Taiwan.

The US’ relations with Taiwan are guided by the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, which outlines Washington’s commitment to helping Taiwan defend itself. At the same time, Washington also recognises the one-China principle, which recognizes mainland China as the sole legal government of the country. However, it only acknowledges and does not endorse, the country’s position that Taiwan is part of China.

Referring to this misinterpretation of US foreign policy by China, Department of State spokesman Ned Price
wrote on Twitter three days ago that “The United States does not subscribe to the PRC’s ‘one China principle’ — we remain committed to our longstanding, bipartisan one-China policy, guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, Three Joint Communiques, and Six Assurances.”