The US reaffirmed support for Taiwan after sending warplanes near China in an apparent attempt to intimidate its democratic government and test the US decision.
BEIJING – The US reaffirmed support for Taiwan after sending warplanes near China on the island in an apparent attempt to intimidate its democratic government and test the US decision.
The foreign ministry said on Saturday it was “concerned about the pattern of ongoing (China) efforts to intimidate its neighbors, including Taiwan.”
“We call on Beijing to cease its military, diplomatic and economic pressure on Taiwan and instead engage in a meaningful dialogue with the democratically elected representatives of Taiwan,” Ned Price said in the statement.
Washington will continue to deepen ties with Taiwan and ensure that it is defended against Chinese threats, while supporting a peaceful solution to issues between the parties, the statement said.
There was no immediate Chinese response on Sunday.
Taiwan’s defense ministry said China on Saturday sent eight bombers carrying nuclear weapons and four fighter jets into the air just southwest of the island, part of a long line of Chinese attacks aimed at the government of President Tsai Ing -win put under pressure. to Beijing’s demand that it recognize Taiwan as part of Chinese territory.
The latest Chinese oversight comes on the heels of the inauguration of President Joe Biden, highlighting the island’s enduring position in the wide range of divisions between the parties, which also includes human rights, trade disputes, and recent questions about China’s initial response to the coronavirus pandemic. .
The Biden government has shown little sign of easing pressure on China on such issues, although it is seen as a preference for a return to more civil dialogue. In another sign of support for Taiwan, the island’s de-facto ambassador to Washington, Hsiao Bi-khim, was an invited guest at Biden’s inauguration.
And in a final turn to China, the outgoing UN ambassador to the Trump administration tweeted that it was time for the world to face China’s efforts to exclude and isolate Taiwan, with sharp criticism from Beijing.
Ambassador Kelly Craft accompanies the tweet with a photo of herself in the UN General Assembly Hall where the island is banned. She was carrying a handbag with a stuffed Taiwan bear protruding from the top, a gift from Taiwan’s representative in New York, Ambassador James Lee.
Taiwan and China parted ways amid the civil war in 1949, and China says it is determined to bring the island under control by force if necessary. The US switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979, but is legally obliged to ensure that Taiwan can defend itself and that the self-governing democratic island enjoys strong dual support in Washington.
Tsai sought to bolster the island’s defense by purchasing billions of dollars worth of US weapons, including upgraded F-16 fighter jets, armed drones, rocket systems and Harpoon missiles that could hit both ships and land targets. She also increased support for Taiwan’s indigenous weapons industry, including the launch of a program to build new submarines to counter China’s ever-growing naval capability.
China’s growing threats come as little economic and political lure bears fruit, leading to the organization of war games and the sending of fighter jets and reconnaissance aircraft to the island of 24 million people almost daily, which lies 160 kilometers southeast of China. coast across the Taiwan Strait.