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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told a press conference on Sunday that Beijing’s claims on the sovereignty of the democratically governed island “have no room for compromise or concession.” Wang Yi’s statements on Taiwan sounded more like his more general criticism of the United States, which “deliberately interferes in the domestic politics of other countries under the guise of democracy and human rights.”
“It is important that the United States recognize this as soon as possible,” Wang Yi said in a speech at the National People’s Congress in Beijing. “Otherwise, we will not have peace in the world.”
At the same time, Wang Yi reiterated China’s willingness to cooperate with the United States to find solutions to the coronavirus pandemic and the world economy. “I hope that the renewed cooperation between China and the United States on climate change will also have a positive effect on the climate of bilateral relations,” the diplomat added.
While China has expressed optimism that relations will improve under Biden, it continues to force Washington to repair the damage caused during Donald Trump’s four-year term. On Sunday, Wang Yi spoke about Beijing’s struggle against “hegemony, arrogance and intimidation” and “audacious meddling in China’s internal affairs”, mentioning the country’s diplomatic achievements in recent years.
The Biden administration has pledged to pay more attention to human rights and focus the Allied response to China, while at the same time working to dispel the old Trump-era rhetoric. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken last week called relations with China a litmus test of the century, describing Washington’s stance on Beijing as “fundamentally competitive, cooperative if necessary and hostile to circumstances.”
Chinese aircraft transporter
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin later hinted in an interview that the United States would step up its support for the allies in the face of “very aggressive” Chinese action. “There have been instances where they have used force. Some of that violence was directed against our allies. And our allies are very important to us,” Austin said on ABC’s This Week program on Sunday.
A spokesman for the Chinese Defense Ministry, Colonel Wu Qian, defended the projected 6.8 percent increase in defense spending this year. (up from 6.6 percent last year) as “reasonable, rational and uncritical,” according to a transcript of the speech posted on the ministry’s website Monday.
China appears to be trying to restore the status quo interrupted during Trump’s tenure. The previous US administration, among other things, sanctioned top Chinese officials for human rights abuses in Xinjiang and Hong Kong, confirmed a senior cabinet visit to Taiwan (for the first time in four decades), and imposed tariffs of around $ 335 billion. of dollars. dollars worth of Chinese products annually.
Sunday’s press conference was the latest indication that tensions between the world’s two largest economies may continue. Wang Yi’s remarks echoed statements by Yango Jiechi, head of the ruling Communist Party’s Foreign Ministry, when he asked the United States not to cross China’s “red lines.” State media recently complained that Biden’s initial policy was no different than his predecessor.
“We call on the new US administration to finally recognize the sensitivity of the Taiwan issue,” Wang Yi said, criticizing the “previous administration’s approach” to “crossing borders and playing with fire” and encouraging them to speak “in a manner appropriate and prudent. “
On Monday, the Mainland China Affairs Council issued a message in Taipei reiterating its opposition to Beijing’s intentions toward Taiwan. The ROC, that’s the official name for Taiwan, has never been part of the People’s Republic, the council stressed. “Once again, we call on the Chinese authorities to recognize and respect the status and public opinion of Taiwan,” the message read.
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