The President of Taiwan has ” confidence “ in the United States to defend its island against China, against a backdrop of growing tensions between Washington and Beijing over Taipei’s role on the international scene.
“I have confidence, given our long-standing relationship with the United States, as well as the support of the American people, Congress and the administration.”, assured Tsai Ing-wen in an interview in English given Tuesday, October 26 to CNN and broadcast by the channel Wednesday.
The President of Taiwan also underlined the “Wide range of cooperation with the United States aimed at increasing our defense capability”, including the US military training of Taiwanese forces.
The passes of arms have multiplied in recent days between the United States and China over the fate of this island of 23 million inhabitants, which has its own government, currency, army, but which Beijing considers one of its provinces awaiting reunification with the rest of the country.
Earlier on Wednesday, US President Joe Biden pointed out that the United States was “Deeply concerned about the coercive and aggressive actions of China (…) in the Taiwan Strait ”. Tensions have increased there with the increase in Chinese air raids near the island.
Such actions “Threaten regional peace and stability”, added the US president, according to a recording of his remarks obtained by AFP. The head of the American diplomacy Antony Blinken also aroused the ire of Beijing by pleading, Tuesday, in favor of a “Meaningful participation” of Taipei in UN bodies and on the international scene.
“The exclusion of Taiwan undermines the important work of the UN and its agencies”, he insisted, believing that his contribution was necessary to face “To an unprecedented number of global challenges”.
The end of the policy of “strategic ambiguity”
“Taiwan has no right to participate in the UN”, Beijing retorted immediately, through the voice of Taiwanese Affairs Bureau spokesperson Ma Xiaoguang.
The very delicate Taiwanese issue risks further poisoning relations between the United States and China, at their lowest in years. Last week, Biden appeared to want to send a new message of firmness to Beijing.
Asked about the possibility of US military intervention to defend Taiwan in the event of an attack from China, the president replied in the affirmative: “Yes, we have a commitment in this direction”, he had declared.
His statement appeared to contradict the long-standing policy of the United States called “Strategic ambiguity”. By virtue of this, Washington helps Taiwan build and strengthen its defense, but without explicitly promising to come to its aid in the event of an attack.
Joe Biden’s words had been badly received in Beijing and the American government had subsequently taken care to ensure that its policy towards Taiwan had not changed: the United States had recognized Communist China since 1979, to the detriment of Taiwan, but the American Congress at the same time imposes the supply of arms to the island for its defense.